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BUTTE 

THE STORY OF A 

CALIFORNIA 
COUNTY 



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BUTTE 

THE STORY OF A 

CALIFORNIA 
COUNTY 

by 
George C. Mansfield 




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Copyright 1919 
By George C. Mansfield 












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Ml 24 I9| y 






THE ::: STORY ::: OF 

BUTTE COUNTY 



WHEN we view the cities and towns of Butte County, its 
orchards and cultivated fields, its railroads and highways, its 
power plants and factories, we can hardly realize that only 
a few years ago, comparatively speaking, the land we now know as 
Butte County was an- unmapped wilderness inhabited only by 
Indians. 

And yet this was the case in 1840. And while the period from 
that time to this may seem a long time to us it is but little more 
than the average lifetime of a man. As we think of the wonderful 
transformation of our county from a wilderness into a busy, popu- 
lous and prosperous commonwealth, and remember that this has 
come about in the span of a lifetime, we will appreciate how vast 
is the work that has been done and how much we are indebted 
to the men and the women whose efforts have secured for us the 
comforts and the conveniences of the county in which we live. 

If we could turn back to the year 1840 we would find no 
maps showing the rivers and the mountains of the area that we 
now call Butte County. The rivers were unknown and the mountains 
largely unnamed. The valley lands were unexplored. The plains 
were the home of untold thousands of elk, deer, antelopes and wild 
horses. In the mountains great grizzly bears roamed, making oc- 
casional forays into the valley lands below. The primitive red 
man reigned supreme, without knowledge of the existence of the 
white man. Along the banks of the rivers and creeks and in the 
mountain valleys, scores of Indian villages were to be found. This 
is Butte County as it was only a few decades ago. 

EARLY INDIAN LIFE 

It will be interesting to learn something of the Indian life 
of that early and primitive period. 

Although called Digger Indians by the whites, the Indians 
who lived in Butte County as we now know it, belonged to the 
Maidu or Maideh nation. This nation of Indians extended from 
the Sacramento River to Honey Lake in Lassen County and from 
Big Chico Creek to Bear River. It was not a strongly organized 
nation as we now use the word, but consisted of a large number of 
separate tribes, the customs of which were largely similar. 

Just below Honcut Creek on the east bank of the Feather 
River were the Hoancut Indians. On the west bank were the 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



Boka, the Taichida, the Baiyu and the Hoolupai, the latter living 
opposite the present site of Oroville. On Honcut Creek going up 
were the Toto and the Helto Indians ; on Butte Creek the Eskin ; 
on Chico Creek the Michopdo. In Concow Valley lived the Kon- 
kau, once a large and powerful tribe and probably the best repre- 
sentatives of this nation. All these tribes in giving their full 
designation added the word "Maidu." 

The following description of life among these Indians is given 
by J. W. Powell, who was sent out from Washington to study 
early life among the California Indians. He writes : 

"Although the California Indians lived as peacefully together, perhaps, 
as any tribes on the continent, they were careful to place their camps 
or villages so as to prevent surprise. Necessity compelled them to live 
near a stream or spring. But there were frequently what might be termed 
hill stations or outposts commanding a still wider prospect, though often 
some distance from water, in which either the warriors alone or the 
whole village took up their residence when war was raging. These were 
generally on bold promontories, overlooking the stream; but there are in- 
dications that they contained substantial lodges, and even the dance house 
or council house, wherein the warriors would assemble for deliberation and 
perhaps for safety. 

"A few words will describe a hamlet. It stands on a gentle knoll be- 
sides a living stream. Crowning the knoll the dome-shaped assembly or 
dance house swells broadly up in the middle of the hamlet. An Indian 
is occasionally seen passing on all fours in or out of the low-arched en- 
trance. Half a dozen conical, smoke-blackened lodges are scattered over 
the knoll, each with its side openside on the north to protect its inmates 
from the sunshine; and rude wickiups or brush awnings stretch raggedly 
from one to another, or are thrown out as wings on either side. One or 
more acorn granaries of wickerwork stand around each lodge, much like 
hogsheads in shape and size, either on the ground or mounted on posts 
as high as one's head, full of acorns and capped with thatch. 

"Drowse, drowse, mope, is the order of the hour. All through the 
long sweltering days there is not a sound in the hamlet unless it is eternal 
thump, thump, thump of some squaw pounding up acorns. Within the 
heavily thatched assembly house it is cool and dark, and here the men lie 
on the earth floor with their heads pillowed on the low bank around the 
side; but the women do not enter. For it is forbidden to them except on 
festival days. They and the children find the coolest place they can on the 
outside." 

Mr. D. F. Crowder, a pioneer of Chico, gives a description of 
early Indian life and customs, which is filled with interest. We 
quote : 

"The principal diet of the Indians was fish, game and grasshoppers, 
and in winter they added to their store pinenuts, acorns and wild geese. 
In the spring months I have seen them eating clover and a grass known 
as Spanish lettuce. It was an interesting sight to see scores of Indian 
boys wading and swimming in the creeks and catching fish by the hun- 
dreds with their hands. Their dexterity as fishermen was marvelous. The 
fish were cooked by the older folks, who dug a hole in the ground and 
built a fire in it. When nothing but the red coals remained, the fish were 
placed in the hole — uncleaned — and covered with a coating of earth. When 
the fish were cooked, the dirt was taken away and the fish eaten without 
even the preliminary of removing their heads or fins. 

"But the most interesting method of getting food was the catching 
of grasshoppers. These pests were considered toothsome and dainty, 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



and were highly prized. Their method of catching these grasshoppers was 
most unique. The first thing done when a hopper harvest was to be 
reaped was to dig a deep funnel-shaped hole some four or five feet deep. 
Then the Indians, both men and women, would make themselves large 
brooms or sweeps out of small willows tied together at one end and hang- 
ing loose at the other. The Indians, sometimes a hundred in number, would 
spread out in a circle around the hole. Inside the circle would be encom- 
passed at least thirty or forty acres. At a signal they would all commence 
to sweep toward the goal, driving the hoppers before them. When close 
to the Hole, the sweeping was fast and furious, and the insects were 
finally swept into the hole. No sooner was the last hopper in than the In- 
dians would jump in on top of them, barefooted, and mash them down. 
The top layer of the grasshoppers, several feet thick, would become a thick 
mush. Then the feed would commence. The Indians seemed to enjoy the 
meal greatly and ate vast quantities of them. When the feast was over 
the squaws would take the remainder and dry them, so that they could be 
eaten later. 

"Acorn meal also formed a large part of the Indian's food. They 
gathered the acorns in the fall of the year and after they were dried they 
were ground into meal by grinding them in large stones which had been 
hollowed out. This work was done by the women, and they used a stone 
pestle to do the grinding with. To cook the acorn meal a pan-shaped hole 
was made in the earth, which was lined with mud so that it was water- 
tight. Stones were then heated and placed in the water until it was 
brought to the boiling point, after which the acorn meal was placed in the 
water and mush was formed. This, when cooked, they would dip out with a 
willow basket and eat. 

"Pinenuts also formed a part of their food. 

"Salmon were caught by the use of a spear which had a detachable 
point made of deer's horn. The point was tied in the center with a deer 
skin thong string, which was fastened several feet from the end of the 
pole. When the point entered a fish, it would leave the pole and twist 
crossways in the salmon's body, and being held to the pole by the thong, 
the fish could not get away." 

CEREMONIAL DANCES 

These Indians had many dances and ceremonies, some of 
which all observed and some of which were peculiar customs 
of a particular tribe. These dances were intended as a prayer to 
the Supreme Being for bountiful crops and a good hunting season, 
or were memorial dances for the dead. Thus there were the Acorn 
Dance and the Manzanita Dance, which were supplications for 
good crops of acorns and manzanita berries. And there was the 
Dance for the Dead, which still survives in what we now know 
as "Indian Burnings." At these memorial dances great quantities 
of baskets and clothing would be burned for the dead. 

Jacob Patterson of Oroville, also a pioneer of the county, 
adds some interesting information regarding Indian life as he ob- 
served it when he first came here in 1853. At that time, he states, 
there were Indian rancherias practically over the entire county. 
One of the largest was near Hamilton Bend on the Feather River, 
where approximately 300 Indians lived. These settlements varied in 
size from groups of twenty to rancherias running into the hun- 
dreds. The home of the Indians were made of long strips of bark, 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



erected in a conical shape over a dugout two feet or so in depth. 
There was a little round hole in the top for the smoke. These were 
called sweat houses. The Indians painted their faces with a sort 
of pitch, which won for them the name "tarfaces" among the early 
miners. 

When Mr. Patterson first came here the Indians wore little 
or no clothing, but they soon began to visit the various mining 
camps and took the discarded clothing of the miners. This they 
would wear without any regard to the prevailing customs among 
the whites. Two or three pairs of trousers would be worn at one 
time, if the Indian was lucky enough to be given those articles of 
apparel by the miners. The same lack of ordinary rule prevailed 
with other articles of clothing. The Indian, thus clad, would go 
into the sweat house or the open sun, and soon would discard the 
clothing. The result was an appalling mortality from colds, pneu- 
monia and other diseases. In one little rancheria near Cherokee, 
Mr. Patterson states that forty Indians died one winter from 
pneumonia. The same fatality went on over the whole county. 

J. W. Powell, who investigated and wrote a report for the 
Government upon Indian life in California, in which he described 
at length the tribes of the Maidu nation, says this of their life : 

"Of all the droning and dreary lives that even the mind of man con- 
ceived, the life of the savage is the most dreary. Savages are not more 
sociable than civilized men and women, but less. They talk very fast 
when some matter excites them, but for the most part they are vacuous, 
inane, silent. So satiated with sleep that they can sleep no more, they 
pass the hours in silence, sitting and brushing off the flies. I lived nearly 
two years in sufficient proximity to them and I give it as the result of ex- 
tended observations that they sleep day and night together, from fourteen 
to sixteen hours out of the twenty-four. They lie down at nightfall be- 
cause they have no lights; and they seldom rise before the sun, and in 
summer generally an hour or two after. During the day they are con- 
stantly drowsing. When on the inarch they frequently chatter a good deal; 
but when a halt is called, they all drop on the ground as if overcome by 
the heat and sink into a torpid silence." 

COMING OF THE WHITE MEN 

The real occupation of the Northern Sacramento Valley by 
the white man probably should be considered as dating from 
1849, for it was in that year that the first big emigration of gold 
hunters arrived. But prior to that time men of the white race had 
been in the Sacramento Valley and had traversed the Butte County 
area. In its issue of July 25, 1879, an Oroville newspaper published 
an account of the discovery of an ancient manuscript in the cavity 
of a tree upon the Middle Fork of the Feather River. As far as is 
known this is the first record of the visit of white men to this 
portion of the State. The article is of sufficient interest to justify 
its reproduction in full. We quote as follows: 

"While chopping up an oak tree that had been fallen for the purpose 
of obtaining lumber for a cabin, James Reynolds and Joseph McCarty, 



THE STORY OP BUTTE COUNTY 



two miners working on the Middle Fork of the Feather River, last Thurs- 
day found in a cavity in the interior of the tree a piece of parchment 
eight by fourteen inches in dimensions, both sides of which were covered 
with heiroglyphics as they thought except! the figures '1542.' This parch- 
ment was later sold to F. M. Sastromjo of Madrid, Spain, who stated that 
the parchment was written in Spanish and contained an account of the 
wanderings, trials and tribulations of three men named Emanuel Sagosta, 
Jose Gareljos and Sebastian Murillo, deserters from the command of Ferdi- 
nand De Soto; that they were at the time of writing the sole survivors 
of a party of thirteen who deserted in 1539, and that the account was 
written and put into the knot hole of the oak tree on August 29, 1842; 
that the party was discouraged and had no idea where their steps were 
leading them. The parchment was of a dark cream color, the writing be- 
ing easily perceived. It was sent to the National Historical Society of 
Spain. The outer edge of the cavity was within about five inches within 
the tree, which had grown over and enclosed the hole." 

The first real exploration of the valley, however, began in 
1820, when, acting under orders from the Governor of California, 
Captain Arguello ascended the Sacramento River in that year and 
proceeded as far north as the Hudson Bay settlements. He dis- 
covered the Sutter Buttes. 

From 1825 to 1840 trappers of the Hudson Bay Company and 
representatives of the American fur companies roamed the valley. 
Michael Frambois saw the buttes in 1829 and gave to them the 
name that they have since retained. 

That General Fremont also was in the Butte County area 
during his exploration of Northern California, was evident from 
discovery in an oak tree west of Biggs of a sealed can containing 
a note stating that General Fremont and his party had camped 
beneath that tree. This note was found by Alexander Dick. 

Such are the shadowy beginnings of the occupation of the 
Butte County area by the whites. 

FIRST SETTLEMENTS 

In the early years of the decade between 1840 and 1850 the 
actual settlement of the territory known as Butte County by men 
of the white race was started. During these years there were a 
number of grants of large tracts of land made by the Mexican 
Government to various persons. A number of these grants were 
located in the territory that now comprises our county. It may be 
of interest to enumerate these grants : 

The Boga-Larkin Grant was founded upon a Mexican grant 
to Charles W. Flugge which was made in 1844 by Governor Mich- 
eltorena. The grant contained five square leagues or 22,184.66 
acres. The land covered by this grant extended along the Feather 
River from the Ord Ranch south to Sutter County and out into 
the valley between two and three miles. 

The Farwell Grant was founded upon a Mexican grant to 
Edward A. Farwell, also made in 1844 by Governor Micheltorena. 



6 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

It contained 22,193.93 acres. The land covered by this grant ex- 
tended along the Sacramento River south from Chico Creek about 
four or five miles. A great portion of the city of Chico is located 
on a portion of this grant. 

The Arroyo Chico Grant was founded on a grant made to 
William Dickey in 1844 by Governor Micheltorena, and contained 
22,214.47 acres. The land covered by the grant extended east from 
the Sacramento River along Chico Creek to the north end of the 
Bidwell Park and northerly from Chico Creek a distance of two 
or three miles. The Bidwell subdivisions, including Chico Vecino, 
are on this grant, as is the famous Hooker Oak and the Bidwell 
mansion. 

The Esquon Grant was founded on a grant made to Samuel 
Neal in 1844. It contained 22,193.78 acres and covered the land 
along Big Butte Creek from the Durham State Colony on the 
north to the town of Nelson on the south. 

The Bosquejo Grant was made to Peter Lassen in December, 
1844. It comprised 22,206.67 acres. A portion of this grant lies 
in Butte and a part in Tehama County. 

The Aguas Frias or Pratt Grant was founded on a grant made 
to Salvador Osio in 1844. It comprised 26,761.40 acres. The 
land covered by this grant extended from a point just south of the 
town of Durham to a point in Glenn County west of Butte Creek. 

The Llano Secor, or Parrott Grant, was founded upon a Mexi- 
can grant to Sebastian Kauser made in 1845 by Governor Pio 
Pico. It comprised 17,767.17 acres. The land covered by this 
grant extended along the Sacramento River for about four miles 
to the Aguas Frias Rancho. 

The Fernandez Grant was founded upon a grant made by 
Governor Pio Pico in 1846 to two sons of Senor Fernandez, alcalde 
of Monterey in 1841 and 1842. It comprised 17,805.84 acres. The 
land covered by this grant extended from a point immediately 
north of the Oroville bridge across the Feather River south along 
the Feather River to what is now known as the Ord Ranch, and 
out into the valley west of the Feather River about two miles. 
Thermalito and Rio Bonito are located upon this grant. 

EARLY CALIFORNIA LIFE 

General Bidwell in his reminiscences describes life in Cali- 
fornia at that time as follows : 

"The kindness and the hospitality of the early Californians have not 
been overstated. Up to the time the Mexican regime ceased in California, 
they had a custom of never charging for anything, that is to say, for en- 
tertainment, food, use of horse, and so forth. You were supposed, even if 
invited to visit a friend, to bring your blankets with you, and one would 
be very thoughtless if he travelled and did not take a knife with him 
to cut his meat. When you had eaten, the invariable custom was to rise, 
deliver to the women or hostess the plate upon which you had eaten the 
meat and beans — for that was about all they had — and say 'Muchas 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



gracias, Senora' (many thanks, madame), and the hostess invariably re- 
plied, 'Bueno provecho' (may it do you much good). The missions in Cali- 
fornia invariably had gardens with grapes, olives, figs, pomegranates, pears 
and apples, but the ranches scarcely ever had any fruit. When you wanted 
a horse to ride you would take it to the next ranch — it might be twenty, 
thirty or fifty miles — and turn it out there, and sometime or other in re 
claiming his stock the owner would get it back. In this way you might 
travel from one end of California to the other. 

"The ranch life was not confined to the country. It prevailed in the 
towns, too. There was not a hotel in San Francisco or Monterey or any- 
where in California until 1846, when the Americans took the country. The 
priests at the missions were glad to entertain strangers without charge. 
They would give you a room in which to sleep and perhaps a bedstead 
with a hide stretched across it, and over that you would spread your 
blankets. 

"At this time there was not in California any vehicle except a rude 
California cart. The wheels were without tires and were made by felling 
an oak tree and hewing it down till it made a solid wheel nearly a foot 
thick on the rim and a little larger where the axle went through. The 
hole for the axle would be nearly eight or nine inches in diameter, but a 
few years' use would increase it to a foot. These carts were always drawn 
by Mexican oxen, the yoke being lashed by rawhide to the horns. To 
lubricate the axles they used soap (that is one thing the Mexicans could 
make), carrying along for the purpose a big pail of thick soap suds; but 
you could generally tell when a California cart was coming half a mile 
away by the squeaking. I have seen the families of the wealthiest people 
go long distances at the rate of thirty miles or more a day, visiting, in one 
of these clumsy two-wheeled vehicles. When Governor Micheltorena was 
sent from Mexico to California he brought with him an ambulance, not 
much better than the common spring wagon that a market man would now 
use with one horse. It had shafts, but in California at that time there 
was no horse broken to work in them, nor was there such a thing known 
as a harness. So the Governor had two mounted vaqueros to pull it. their 
reatas being fastened to the shafts and to the pommels of their saddles." 

On the grants, to which reference has already been made, cat- 
tle raising was the sole business of the grant holders. The Span- 
ish cattle, distinguished by their long horns and small bodies, 
roamed the plains. They were valuable only for their hides, which 
were shipped on flat-bottomed boats down the river to Benicia. 
Agriculture, as it is now practiced, was unknown. 

This was the primitive civilization of early California. And at 
the very outer edge of that civilization lay the Butte County area. 

THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD 

In 1848 the Butte County area lay basking in the balmy sun- 
shine of a California spring. A handful of whites and some thou- 
sands of Indians comprised its population. Quiet content reigned 
supreme. Then suddenly at the clarion cry of "Gold! Gold!" all 
was changed. A new civilization sprang almost whole-grown in- 
to being. Thousands of emigrants, representing almost every na- 
tion of the world, in the course of two years crowded to the banks 
of Butte County's golden streams, and a feverish confusion took 
possession of all within her boundaries. For just as Marshall's 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



discovery of gold at Coloma started a rush of gold hunters to the 
American River, so John Bidwell's discovery of gold started a 
great stream of travel in that direction. The year 1848 is epochal 
in the history of Butte County. Just back of it lay the quiet, 
primitive civilization of California's Indian and Mexican days. 
Just before it lay the bustling, striving, struggling civilization of 
the Anglo-Saxon occupation. In a year's time the magic touch of 
gold had transformed the whole order of the people's life. 

Toward the latter part of March, 1848, shortly after the dis- 
covery of gold upon the American River by James Marshall, John 
Bidwell went to Coloma and there saw for himself the scene of 
Marshall's ''strike." A keen observer and a careful student, Bid- 
well at once saw that conditions at Coloma were apparently similar 
to conditions upon the Feather River. Bidwell returned to the 
grant that he had previously purchased at what is now the site 
of Chico, called his neighbors together and told them of his belief 
that gold was to be found in the gravels of the Feather River. A 
prospecting party was formed, and in a short time the news of the 
discovery of gold on the Feather River was heralded to the 
world. 

General Bidwell, in his reminiscences, tells the story of the 
discovery as follows : 

"On my return to Chico I stopped over night at Hamilton on the west 
bank of the Feather River. On trying some of the sand in the river I 
found light) particles of gold and reckoned that if light gold could be found 
so far down that the heavier particles would remain near the hills. On 
reaching Chico an expedition was organized, but it took some time to get 
everything ready. We had to send twice up to Peter Lassen's mill to get 
flour; meat had to be dried; and we had to send to Sacramento for tools. 
Our party was made up of Mr. Dickey, Potter, John Williams, William 
Northgraves and myself. We passed near Cherokee and up the North 
Fork. In nearly all of the places we prospected we found colors. One 
evening while encamped at White Rocks, Dickey and I in a short time 
panned out about an ounce in fine gold. The others refused to prospect 
any and said that the gold that we obtained was so light it would not 
weigh anything. At that time we were all unfamiliar with the weight of 
gold dust, but I am satisfied what we had would weigh an ounce. At 
length we came home and some of them wenti to the American River to 
mine. Dickey, Northgraves and I went to what is now Bidwell Bar, and 
there found gold and went to mining." 

Hon. Warren T. Sexton, who was for a number of years the 
Superior Judge of Butte County, in his recollections of early days 
gives additional details of this noteworthy expedition as follows : 

"Bidwell made his camp at Bidwell's Bar, which still bears his name. 
Potter, from the Farwell Grant, camped at Potter's Bar on the North Fork 
of the Feather River about two miles from Bidwell. Neal selected what 
was afterwards known as Adams Bar or Adamstown on the main river 
directly opposite Long's Bar. Davis, from the Lassen Ranch on Deer Creek, 
camped on the main river justi below Morris Ravine near Thompson's Flat. 
It would be only guesswork to state the amount of gold taken out by these 
first miners. That it was very large, there is no doubt. Some stories made 
it fabulous." 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



THE FIRST EMIGRANTS 

The first emigrants to reach the Feather River District came 
from Oregon. This emigration left its mark in the name Oregon 
City. 

News of the discovery of gold soon spread, and foreign coun- 
tries heard of the new El Dorado even before the East learned of 
Marshall's discovery. Instead of a handful of whites and some 
thousands of Indians, the Butte County area soon comprised as 
motley a population as could be found anywhere. Yankees, South- 
erners, English, French, Germans, Mexicans, Spaniards, Hawaiians, 
Peruvians, Chilenos, all were to be found here bound together 
by one common tie, the lust for gold. 

Concerning this early emigration Bancroft, in his history of 
California, has the following to say : 

"Although the Americans maintained the ascendancy in numbers 
owing to readier access to the field, the stream of emigration from foreign 
countries was great, a current coming to New York and other places to 
join the flow from there. Among the Asiatic nations, the most deeply af- 
fected were the Chinese. With so much of the gambling element in their 
dispositions, and so much of ambition, they turned over the tidings in 
their mind with feverish impatience, whilst their neighbors, the Japanese, 
heard of the discovery with stolid indifference. Not less affected were the 
inhabitants of the Marquesas Islands. Those of the French colony who 
were free made immediate departure, and were quickly followed by the 
military, leaving the Governor alone to represent the government. On 
reaching Australia the news was eagerly circulated and embellished by 
shipmasters. The streets of the chief cities were placarded with 'Gold! 
Gold. Gold in California.' Soon it became difficult to secure berths upon 
departing vessels. So in Peru and Chile, where the California revelation 
was unfolded as early as September, 1848, by Colonel Mason's messenger 
on his way to Washington, bringing a large influx in advance of the domi- 
nant United States immigration." 

A concise summary of the immigration of the year 1848 is 
given by the same author and is of particular interest by way of 
comparison with the great immigration that started in 1849. We 
quote as follows : 

"The year 1848 has its individuality. It is different from every other 
California year before or since. The men of '48 were of another class 
from the men of '49. Those first at the mines were the settlers of Califor- 
nia Valley, many of them with their families and Indian retainers. They 
were neighbors and friends, who would not wrong each other more in the 
mountains than in the valley. After the quiet inflowing from the valley 
adjacent to the gold fields came the exodus from San Francisco, which be- 
gan in May. In June San Jose, Monterey and the middle region con- 
tributed their quota, followed in July and August by the southern settle- 
ments. The predominance thus obtained from the start by the Anglo- 
American element was well sustained, partly from the fact that it was 
more attracted by the glitter of gold than the lavish and indolent ranchero 
of Latin extraction, and less restrained from yielding to it by the ties of 
family and possessions. The subsequent influx during the season from 
abroad preponderated in the same direction. It began in September, al- 
though assuming no large proportions until two months later. The first 
flow came from the Hawaiian Islands, followed by a large stream from 



10 THE STORY OP BUTTE COUNTY 



Oregon and a broad current from Mexico and beyond, notably of Sonorans, 
who counted many experienced miners in their ranks." 

During the year 1848 there was not, however, the wild stam- 
pede to the gold diggings that marked the later years. Mining in 
the Feather River diggings was largely a neighborhood affair at 
first. The latter part of the year 1849 saw the beginning of the 
great rush. Over the Plains, across the Isthmus, around the Horn, 
came an eager throng of gold hunters, fired by accounts of the 
California diggings that had appeared in the press. The nature of 
these reports may be judged from the following article that ap- 
peared in the New York Journal of Commerce, dated Monterey, 
August 29, 1848, which is typical of the reports which began to be 
circulated : "At present," said the article, "the people are running 
over the country and picking the gold out of the earth here and 
there just as though a thousand hogs let loose in a forest would 
root up groundnuts. Some get eight or ten ounces a day, and the 
least active one or two. They make the most who employ the 
wild Indians to hunt it for them. There is one man who has sixty 
Indians in his employ. His profits are a dollar a minute. The 
wild Indians know nothing of the value of gold and wonder what 
the palefaces want to do with it. They will give an ounce of it 
for the same weight of coined silver, or a thimbleful of glass beads 
or a glass of grog. I know seven men who worked two weeks and 
two days, Sundays excepted, on the Feather River. They employ- 
ed on an average fifty Indians, and got out in these two weeks 
and two days two hundred and seventy-five pounds of pure gold. 
I know the men and have seen the gold. I know ten other men 
who worked ten days in company, employed no Indians, and aver- 
aged in these ten days $1500 each. I know another man who got 
out of a basin in a rock not larger than a washbowl, two and one- 
half pounds of gold in fifteen minutes." These letters ran through 
papers all over the country, creating wonder and amazement 
everywhere. 

THE OVERLAND TRAVEL 

In the year 1849 the first great overland travel reached the 
gold diggings. The story of this great trip across the plains is 
one of the most interesting chapters in the history of the develop- 
ment and the expansion of the United States. It is a story of 
danger and daring, of hardship and suffering, of great successes 
and heart-breaking disappointments. 

The main route to the gold diggings, once California was 
reached, was through Hangtown, now called Placerville. The 
fact that gold was first discovered upon the American River gave 
to the diggings there a maximum of publicity, and naturally the 
American River gold field was the objective of large numbers of 
these emigrants. To the north, however, new trails were estab- 
lished. Three of these ran through the confines of the present 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 11 

Butte County. There was the Lassen (or Lawson) Horn route, 
which ran north from the Humboldt Valley in Nevada and crossed 
into California through the Pitt River Canyon, and then ran south 
to the gold diggings. There was the Lassen Trail, which entered 
the State by way of Deer and Mill Creek, emerging upon the val- 
ley at where Vina now stands. There was the Beckwith route, 
named after Jim Beckwourth, a trapper and scout. This followed 
approximately the route of the Western Pacific through Beckwith 
Pass to the American Valley in Plumas County, and then followed 
approximately the present Oroville-Quincy highway. In the later 
Fifties a new route was largely used from Honey Lake Valley 
via Humbug and the Magalia Ridge to Pentz and thence to 
Oroville. 

The Lassen Trail by way of the Deer Creek and Mill Creek 
ridge was first travelled by the party of which Judge Lott and 
Judge Sexton were members. Emigrants on this trail were 
harassed by the Mill Creek Indians. W. A. Ward, founder of a 
well known Oroville family, later came to California by this route. 
Upon the whitened bones of dead animals they found written 
warnings, "Beware ! Bad Indians here !" 

The discovery of the Lassen and Beckwith Trails resulted in 
the abandonment of the Lassen Horn route, which received its 
name by reason of its similarity to the trip around Cape Horn. 
There are no figures available as to the amount of emigration over 
the two emigrant routes. It is certain that a large proportion of the 
travel went by way of the Placerville route. Up until the middle 
of the decade of 1850-60 the travel over the Beckwith route appears 
to have been considerable. Thus the Butte Record gives the emi- 
gration passing through Bidwell Bar over that route during the 
year 1854 as 1200 people, comprising 200 families, who brought 
with them 12,000 head of cattle, 700 sheep, and 500 horses and 
mules. 

After 1855 the travel by way of the Beckwith Pass slackened. 
This is ascribed to the construction of a railroad across the Isth- 
mus of Panama, which attracted the bulk of the emigration which 
did not have cattle to drive west. Moreover among those driving 
cattle there appeared to be a suspicion of the route by reason of 
the fact that emigrants had lost cattle along this route from cer- 
tain poisonous plants growing there. 

All of you doubtless have heard stories of the dangers and 
hardships faced and endured by those who crossed the Plains to 
come to California. But the hardships of these early emigrants 
were not ended when they reached California. The first winters 
were very severe, the housing was inadequate, there were no roads 
upon which to bring up supplies, and the men suffered untold 
hardships. 



12 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



HOW THE MINING AREA SPREAD 

It is hard for the student of history to keep pace with the 
feverish activity of the miners upon their arrival here. Discoveries 
of gold-bearing gravel followed other discoveries in such rapid 
succession that it is impossible to record these discoveries in their 
chronological sequence. Miners left the main streams to prospect 
in ravines, and found these ravines to be rich in gold. From the 
ravines they went into creeks. High on the hills they found gold, 
and gave to these discoveries, which were away from streams, the 
name of "dry diggings." They left diggings immensely rich for 
other diggings reported to be richer. For it must be remembered 
that the miner of 1849 and 1850 had but little baggage to bother 
him. He was free to move where and when he pleased. Moreover 
these early miners, speaking generally, had but little knowledge 
of mineralogy or geology. They saw that the flakes of gold and 
nuggets had come down the stream from higher up in the moun- 
tains. They believed that when the source of gold was found, a 
mountain of pure gold probably would be discovered. 

All the early evidence bears out the fact that good diggings 
would be abandoned with the utmost recklessness at the mere 
rumor of better diggings somewhere else. Diggings that would 
only yield $20 a day to the man were not considered worth while 
working at first. And diggings that would yield $50 or $100 to 
the man were abandoned with a recklessness which itself bespoke 
the profusion of gold. But this was not an unmixed evil. The 
very recklessness with which diggings were abandoned was one 
of the big factors that led to new discoveries and to the enlarge- 
ment of the mining; area. 



SOME EARLY BUTTE TOWNS 

A characteristic feature of this early period was the establish- 
ment of "mushroom towns." Thus in this period when society was 
m process of its first formation, towns arose and disappeared. 
Communities that flourished one week would vanish the next as 
completely as if the earth had swallowed them. For timber in the 
early diggings was scarce and sawmills few ; and so when a miner 
moved to new diggings, if not too far away, he would literally 
carry his house with him, and often not a mark would be left 
to indicate where a "city" had stood. 

Probably few of you have ever heard the names of some of 
these early cities. One was Veazie City, another Fredonia, and 
still another Yatestown. Ophir was located on the present site 
of Oroville. There was a city named Troy, but its location has 
been forgotten even more completely than its famous namesake. 
Columbia was a city on the north bank of the Feather River 
between Oroville and Hamilton. There was another town on the 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



Sacramento River near Deer Creek, but pioneers have even forgot- 
ten what its name was. 

The Alta Daily Californian of San Francisco in its issue of 
September 27, 1855, had an interesting account of the establish- 
ment of Oroville, which describes the character of town building 
during this period. Says that paper: "Mining towns, like mush- 
rooms, spring up in a night. A party of prospecting miners strike 
a good lead and pitch their tents ; others crowd in ; a board shanty 
is put up and some enterprising individual starts a store with a 
hundred dollars' worth of picks, shovels, flannel shirts, and boots ; 
soon an express is started to the nearest town, and they are in full 
blast." 

While the imposing name of city was given to these mining 
camps, they were far from being cities as we now understand the 
term. The houses were mostly of canvas, supported by a few 
poles. Fire was an ever present menace, and the history of these 
communities contains an account of one or more disastrous con- 
flagrations in all of them. 

The manner in which the gold miners spread over the county 
is indicated by the settlements made by them. 

At Hamilton Bend on the Feather River below Oroville, 
was located Hamilton, the first county seat of the county. In 
the spring of 1850 several parties are reported to have been liv- 
ing there. Among them was a nephew of Alexander Hamilton, 
who gave his name to the place, and who located the town with 
A. N. Morgan. On the same bank of the river between Hamilton 
and Oroville, was Columbus. This was originally the site of an 
Indian rancheria. Its population was largely Chinese. During 
the brief period when steamboats operated to Oroville in the 
Fifties, Columbus was a stopping place for those vessels. 

The City of Bagdad was located two miles below Oroville. 

At the present site of Oroville was Ophir. This was one of 
the first settlements in the county, it being located as early as 
October, 1849. In 1852 a discovery at White Rock, four miles 
above Ophir, practically depopulated the place. 

Long's Bar, about two miles above Oroville, was named after 
the Long Brothers, who had a store there. This became one of 
the most important of the early mining camps of the State. 
Across the river from Long's Bar was Adamstown. Lynchburg 
was a prosperous community of the early Fifties, which occupied 
the ground upon which Oro Vista, a suburb of Oroville, is now 
located. Between Lynchburg and Oroville was another ''city," 
called Middletown. Thompson's Flat was first settled in 1848, 
when it was called Rich Gulch. In 1854 the population became 
so large that the site of the town was changed so as not to inter- 
fere with the diggings. George Thompson, who had a hotel there, 
gave his name to the place. 



14 THE STORY OP BUTTE COUNTY 

On the Middle Fork of the Feather River at its junction with 
the South Fork was Bidwell Bar. On the South Fork of the 
Feather River was Stringtown, which derived its name from the 
manner in which its buildings were "strung out." Enterprise was 
located a mile above Stringtown, and was named after the Union 
Enterprise Mining Company, which operated there. Above Enter- 
prise lay Forbestown. Between 1850 and 1860, it is estimated 
that there were 3000 people living in Forbestown and its vicinity. 
Clipper Mills was established in the same period, and was located 
as a lumbering camp to supply timber to the mines. 

On the North Fork of the Feather River was Potter's Bar. 
In the territory draining into the North Fork were many mining 
camps, the best known among which were Spanishtown and 
Frenchtown. Yankee Hill fell heir to what Spanishtown and 
Frenchtown had to bequeath when they passed on and out. 

Morris Ravine received its name from an employee of Samuel 
Neal, who in 1848 guided a party of Oregonians from the Neal 
Ranch to the Feather River diggings. 

A band of Cherokee Indians, who came here in company with 
a Yankee school teacher who was teaching in the Indian Territory, 
gave the name to Cherokee. Wyandotte was located by Wyandotte 
Indians who in 1850 found gold there. 

Evansville, Dicksburg on Honcut Creek, old Honcut City near 
Bangor, all sprang into being at about the same time. 

Bangor was settled in 1855. In that year L. C. Hyland and 
the Lumbert Brothers opened stores about a mile apart. Hyland 
was evidently a booster, for he laid out on paper a town of about 
two hundred blocks about his store. There were squares reserved 
for public use, but Hyland was the only man who ever built 
there. The Lumbert Brothers came from Bangor, Maine, and 
they gave to the settlement the name of their home city. 

This period also marks the settlement of the Magalia Ridge. 
Powellton in Kimshew Township was located in 1853 by R. P. 
Powell. In 1855 George Lovelock located the place that still bears 
his name. Inskip was located by a man named Kelly. The mines 
of Inskip were exceptionally rich and hundreds of miners con- 
gregated there. Dogtown, later called Magalia, also was located 
in this period, as were Helltown, Diamondville, and Centerville. 



RECOVERY OF GOLD 

The amount of gold that has been recovered from the mines 
of Butte County is a matter of conjecture. Unfortunately records 
of gold productions were not kept in the early days. But that the 
gold yield reached enormous proportions is certain. A. Ekman, 
who in his lifetime was considered an authority upon Butte 
County's mining industry, in a report to the California Miners' 
Association in 1899, estimated the gold production of Butte 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 15 

County up to that time not less than $200,000,000. Records of the 
State Mining Bureau show a production of $44,000,000 between the 
years 1880 and 1917. Charles G. Yale, statistician for the United 
States Geological Survey, states that in the year 1852 the mines 
of California produced the enormous total of $81,294,700, and that 
it was not until 1857 that the annual yield fell below $50,000,000. 

The pre-eminent richness of the Butte County diggings upon 
the Feather River was early recognized. The gold of the Feather 
River diggings was also the freest from alloys of any produced 
in the State. 

One of the world's largest nuggets was found in Butte 
County, about two miles east of Magalia. In August, 1859, the 
miners on this claim washed out a chunk of gold weighing fifty- 
four pounds in the rough. This is the world famous "Dogtown 
Nugget." This nugget was about two inches thick, shaped some- 
thing like the map of Africa, and slightly larger than a gold 
pan. 

HOW THE GOLD WAS MINED 

While the men who came here first knew but little of miner- 
alogy or geology, and nothing of mining, the rapid development 
of scientific mining methods is of interest inasmuch as it reveals 
the ingenuity of the American mind. The pick and pan and 
shovel came first. Then came the rocker ; then the "long torn.'' 
The "long torn" was an inclined, stationary wooden trough or box 
from ten to thirty feet in length, the bottom of which was made 
of perforated sheets of iron. Beneath this was placed a riffie box 
with crossbars to catch the gold. Out of the "long torn" the 
sluice developed. 

The river bed was mined by changing its course by wing 
dams, and by literally lifting the river from its bed into flumes, 
and mining the gravel that was thus exposed. The largest 
flumes in the State were those upon the Feather River above 
Oroville. For the "dry diggings" hydraulic mining was soon 
advised. To supply water for these, great ditches were built. It 
was for this purpose that the so-called Palermo and Forbestown 
ditch systems were first built. During the Fifties also quartz 
mining was started. The first quartz mining was at Forbestown. 

After 1857 there came a change in mining operations. The 
rich placer diggings had become exhausted. California was no 
longer the poor miner's paradise. Gold could no longer be obtained 
so easily without the outlay of capital. Deeper diggings required 
larger investments. 

The change in mining conditions was generally recognized. 
As early as December, 1856, the Butte Record, commenting upon 
the changed conditions, said: "The glorious mining days of 1849, 
when men could travel over mountains and through the gulches 
and ravines and with a prospecting pan and crevicing knife realize 



16 THE STORY OP BUTTE COUNTY 

the highest wages ever known to a mining section, are undoubt- 
edly passed. The effort now is to reach the bedrock, and this 
in many cases requires the expenditure of much labor and capital; 
and although the pay realized is not so extravagantly large as in 
former days, still there are few claims that have been worked 
systematically that have not proved profitable to those who have 
invested in them." 

THE EARLY PIONEERS 

The early mining communities of Butte County were rich in 
the material that has made the history of California during "the 
days of gold" of interest the world over. Men coming from older, 
more settled and more prosaic communities, found themselves in 
an environment as different from that they had left as night from 
day. Precedents counted for but little. Station amounted to 
nothing. Nor did superior education count for as much as it did 
in the older States, for the road to wealth was the same to all. 
Hittell, in his history of California, says this of the pioneers: 

"The pioneers were the most active, the most industrious and enter- 
prising body of men in proportion to their numbers that was ever thrown 
together to form a new community. Pour-fifths of them were young men 
between eighteen and thirty-five years of age. They came from all sec- 
tions of the country and many of them from foreign countries. They all 
came to labor, or found when they got to the mines that to keep on an 
equality with their neighbors they had to labor. * * * Every man 
finding every other man compelled to labor, found himself the equal of 
every other man; and as the labor required was physical rather than 
mental, the usual superiority of headworkers over handworkers disap- 
peared entirely. Men who had been Governors and Legislators and Judges 
in the old States, worked by the side of outlaws and convicts; scholars 
and students by the side of men who could not read or write; those who 
had been masters by the side of those who had been- slaves. Old social 
distinctions were obliterated. Everybody did business on his own account, 
and not one man in fifty was the employee, and much less the servant, 
of another." 

Admittedly the founders of this commonwealth were not 
without faults. But as a rule the faults were those that went 
with their peculiar environment. There were exceptions, of course. 
In such a conglomerate array, it would indeed have been strange 
if some desperate characters were not found. But no one can 
study the history of the pioneers and learn of the dangers that they 
dared, the sacrifices that they made, the deeds that they accom- 
plished, without paying tribute to their sturdy character. 

A few facts relative to society during the Fifties will be of 
interest. In the first place it might be noted that the population 
of Butte County during the first few years of the white settlement 
was made up almost entirely of men. In 1850 women composed 
but three per cent of the population. Children were so few that 
in November, 1851, when Butte County embraced all of the terri- 
tory now included in Butte and Plumas Counties and a portion 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 17 



of Lassen, Tehama, Colusa and Sutter Counties, Warren T. Sex- 
ton, then County Clerk, wrote to the State Superintendent of 
Public Instruction as follows : 

"In answer to your communication, I can only say that there 
is not one school in the county. It being almost entirely a min- 
ing county, the number of children between the ages of four and 
eighteen years is comparatively small. From the means I have 
of judging, I would say that there were not more than fifty." 

THEFT INFREQUENT IN 1849 

While drinking and gambling were very prevalent, all 
accounts agree that theft was very infrequent in the year 1849. 
Old residents state that gold in pans and rockers was left at the 
claims while the miners were at their meals and the gold remained 
untouched in the canvas tents during the days while the miners 
were at work at their claims. Judge C. F. Lott stated that at one 
time he rode along a trail in company with others and they saw a 
pan containing at least $1000 in gold dust and nuggets on a rock 
near the trail. Nearly a week later he passed by a second time and 
the pan with its contents of gold was still there, although it is 
probable that fifty men had passed that way during the week. 

With the arrival of the Australian emigration in 1850, this 
condition changed. The "Sydney Ducks," as they were called by 
the miners, were a lawless set. Moreover the lawless element 
from other places began to arrive, and as a result crime increased. 
During the second half of the decade the activity of the Vigilantes 
in San Francisco resulted in driving many of the desperate and 
criminal element out of that city and as a result crime in the 
interior again increased in extent. While there was much 
crime, it must not be forgotten that criminals were the exception, 
not the rule. 

THE MAIL SYSTEM 

Turning from the more vicious aspects of early society to 
other phases of life in Butte County, we find a more pleasing pros- 
pect. The picture painted by the Butte Record of the arrival of 
mail at Bidwell Bar is filled with human interest. The delight 
of those who received letters from home and the disappointment 
of those who failed to get such letters, are duly set forth. The 
eagerness with which news of the outside world was awaited is 
shown in the amount of space devoted in the Butte Record to 
clippings of news from the Atlantic States. 

Mailing facilities were not the best and chief reliance was 
placed upon the express companies to deliver the mail. An 
illuminating light upon mail conditions in the early Fifties is 
contained in a bit of verse written upon an envelope which came 
to Potter's Bar upon the North Fork of the Feather River, in 



18 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

September, 1854. The verse was reprinted in the Butte Record 
of that time. On the envelope was scrawled : 

"This is the 27th letter I've sent by the mail 
In time to go to port before the ship would sail, 
And sent to my son in California; 

But more than three-fourths of them are lost by the way. 
And if the Mail Department don't take it into hand 
To send the letters more correct by water and by land, 
For to write so many letters it does not pay the cost 
If more than three-fourths of them are always to be lost. 
Now I pray take pity on a disconsolate Mother, 
And try to carry this one safe, if you never do another." 

In November, 1853, the Butte Record entered a complaint on 
behalf of the people of Oregon Gulch. Though not more than 
forty miles from Marysville, it was reported that it often took a 
letter a month to reach there from the Marysville postoffice, and 
that it cost from $1 to $2 to get each letter. 

The inadequacy of the mail service was partly compensated 
for by a thorough and efficient express service. Adams and Com- 
pany, and Wells, Fargo and Company both served the mining dis- 
tricts through local companies affiliated with them. Connections 
with these larger companies were made at Marysville. The 
remuneration received by the expressman was $1 for each letter 
received. The express agent would go into the Postoffice at 
Marysville with his list of patrons. He would maul over the mail 
there, separate that of his clients, and pay the postmaster there 
twenty-five cents for each letter. Newspapers were delivered for 
fifty cents. Letters were taken back to Marysville to be mailed 
there at half price. 

These express agents served the most distant communities in 
the mountains, and a monument should be erected to their mem- 
ory. A keen sense of duty impelled them to brave perils before 
which the most courageous might well quail. They did their duty 
as a matter of course. In winter, as well as in summer, they 
covered their route. And if a mountain settlement was not reached 
it was because the task was impossible. 

Among these express agents was Fenton B. Whiting. In the 
year 1858 Mr. Whiting instituted a dog express service over the 
mountains into Plumas County. He had secured three dogs of 
the St. Bernard and Newfoundland breeds, and these he broke 
to harness. The first trip was a magnificent success. The dog 
express continued in service until in 1865 snowshoes were placed 
on horses and the dog express gave way to the winter stage. 

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION 

Supplies were carried into the mountains by immense lines 
of pack trains. Mules were employed for packing and not only 
was freight handled in this manner, but there were passenger 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 19 

trains of mules as well. The hurricane deck of a mule was a cus- 
tomary means of traveling in the Fifties. 

In the valley sections the buggy and stage coach became the 
established means of communication on land. As there were no 
bridges, the rivers were crossed by means of ferries. 

Steamboat transportation began early on the Sacramento 
River, and in 1850 there is a record of a steamer that went as far 
north as Chico Landing. Steamboat service on the Sacramento 
River to Red Bluff was maintained regularly and on the Feather 
River as far as Marysville. During the middle of the decade 
steamboat service was started to Oroville, but the opposition of 
Marysville merchants, who desired to maintain Marysville's place 
as the head of navigation, resulted in a cessation of this service. 

THE '49 PRICES 

The prices during 1849 are a matter of interest, and the 
expression " '49 prices" has come to mean the highest price to 
which the cost of living can soar. While in 1849 prices were very 
'high, in the middle of the Fifties the cost of living was reasonable. 
Joseph Brown, who reached the Feather River Diggings in 1849, 
reports that upon his arrival he paid a dollar a pound for flour. 
A jar of pickles and two sweet potatoes cost $11; a paper of 
needles and two spools of thread, $7.50; shoes cost from $10 to 
$14 a pair, and rubber boots were quoted from $28 to $35 a pair. 
Oliver Goldsmith, who arrived at the Feather diggings 
with Judge Lott and Judge Sexton, states that upon his arrival 
it was difficult to get provisions and that the amount that one 
person could purchase was limited. He states that provisions 
were sold at the uniform rate of $2 a pound. Most of the pro- 
visions were hauled by ox team from Sacramento, and pioneers 
state that the cost of getting the goods here fully justified the 
prices asked. 

With the development of the country and the establishment 
of stage and steamer routes, the cost of living dropped. Apparently 
there was little objection among miners to the prices asked, the 
only record of an indignation meeting being one held at Bidwell 
Bar "to take into consideration," as the Butte Record expressed 
it, "the action of a Bidwell merchant who had been selling Dr. 
Stroever's California Salve for butter." 

During the early period before the discovery of gold, trading 
was chiefly accomplished by barter. In 1849 and in the early 
Fifties the principal medium of exchange was gold dust. There 
were also in circulation what were known as "California coins," 
or privately minted slugs of gold. These were in ten-, twenty- 
and fifty-dollar denominations. They were of octagonal shape, and 
were made in San Francisco. After 1853 many Spanish and Eng- 
lish coins found their way into the currency of the section, as did 
Mexican coins. Gold dust was still extensively used. In the latter 



20 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

half of the decade the United States coinage became more plenti- 
ful. In Oroville and in the larger centers banks purchased the 
gold dust from the miners, paying them for it in coin. Some 
miners, however, not desiring to bank their gold dust, would con- 
ceal it. The papers tell of one miner who hid a large number 
of nuggets in a hole in a tree, only to return later to find that 
tree squirrels had made way with his treasure. Many years later 
in chopping up a pine tree for wood at Bangor, a can was found 
in a cavity in the tree that had grown over. This can was filled 
with nuggets and gold dust, and had evidently been concealed 
there by some early miner. There was immediately much activity 
reported in prospecting the pine trees in the Bangor section, but 
without further success. 

EARLY AMUSEMENTS 

The people of the early period were of course mainly depend- 
ent upon their own efforts for amusements. Horse racing was a 
favorite sport. Hunting was good. There were many bull and 
bear fights. Amateur theatrical companies were organized. 
Dancing was a favorite amusement. As there were not enough 
ladies to go round, men would take the part of the women and 
would designate themselves by tying a handkerchief about one 
of their arms. An account of one of the early balls, as printed in 
the Butte Record of December, 1853, is worthy of preservation. 
Says chat paper : 

"The ball given at Comb's Exchange at Wyandotte last Friday night 
was a capital affair. Quite a number of the dear little critters that set 
a man's head crazy were on hand and never did the same number shine 
forth to better advantage. The supper was ample and in fact perfectly 
delicious. * * * As the dance was about to come to a close, the ladies 
having retired, the grand finale was the Highland fling stag dance, free for 
all ages, sizes and costumes. This gave the fiddler a chance he little 
expected. He could not stand the punishment; for in the midst of a grand 
pas de lux he came down from his lofty position, fiddle in hand, and 
mixed promiscuously. He made a pair of eight-pound miner's boots cut 
more capers and hifalutin gymnastics than ever Miss Caroline Roussette 
did with a pair of golden slippers. And so it passed off to the satisfaction 
of everyone. It would not do to speak of any particular beauty who was 
present on that occasion, for the others would pout about it. So we will 
dry up by saying that they were a charming set of little witches, every 
one of them." 

THE CHANGE TO A FARMING COUNTY 

The year 1860 may be considered as marking the transition 
of Butte County from a mining to an agricultural county. While 
of course mining still continued as an important industry, yet, 
after 1860, the emphasis had changed and agriculture had assumed 
and was assuming a more important place in the industrial life 
of the county. 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 21 



In the development of agriculture in Butte County, there is 
one figure whose life is worthy of the most careful study. The 
breadth of vision of General John Bidwell, his enterprise, and his 
courage, have left a legacy not only of rich memories, but in the 
great material development to Butte County. Every boy and girl 
in Butte County should become intimately acquainted with the 
life of General Bidwell, one of the Nation's most noted pioneers, 
an account of whose life will appear later in this book. 

THE EARLY GOVERNMENT 

One of the characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon people is that 
wherever they go they carry with them the institutions of free 
and orderly government, and the school, press and church. This 
is clearly seen in Butte County. 

Prior to the acquisition of California by the United States 
the machinery of government was of course that of Mexico. After 
the miners came there was need of more immediate methods of 
settling disputes and administering justice than that of the alcalde 
courts The nearest alcalde to the Feather River district was in 
Sacramento. And so miners' courts arose, where justice was dealt 
out both with swiftness and with a large measure of fairness. 
After California was admitted to statehood the work of organizing 
the machinery of government proceeded rapidly. 

Butte County was one of the group of the first counties 
organized in the State. The Act of 1850 passed by the first Legis- 
lature provided for the division of the State into political units. 
This was not an easy task. The geography of the State was but 
little known. The population was a shifting one. Populous com- 
munities of one week were depopulated the next. The Legislature 
could only do its best in mapping out the minor divisions of the 
State. The surprising thing is not that some errors were made, 
but that they were not more numerous. 

Butte County as it was organized under the Act of 1850 com- 
prised the present county of Plumas, a great part of Lassen 
County as it now exists, and parts of Tehama, Colusa and Sutter 
Counties. 

It was nearly a parallelogram in form. Its dimensions were 
80 miles from north to south and 160 miles from east to west. It 
contained about 12,800 square miles and about 8,330,000 acres. 
Its area then was as large as the combined area of Vermont and 
Delaware. 

The members of the State Legislature, with their imperfect 
knowledge of exact boundaries, were of the opinion that this area 
comprised the Butte mountains, and hence the county was given 
the name of Butte. But this was an error. When the boundary 
line between Butte and Sutter Counties was surveyed, it was 
found that the Buttes were in the latter county. Later, for a 
short time, a change in the boundary line placed these mountains 



22 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

in Butte County, but the line was again changed in a very short 
time and Butte County lost the mountains to Sutter County. In 
1854 Plumas County was created out of Butte County. In 1856 
a portion of the county was added to Tehama County. 

The first court in the county was organized under the trees 
of Little Chico Creek. The voters, however, had selected Hamil- 
ton City on the banks of the Feather River as the county seat, 
and the court was moved there. Later the county seat was 
changed to Bidwell Bar, and later still to Oroville. 

LYNCH LAW 

The records of administration of justice during the first decade 
of county life are replete with interest. Reference has already 
been made to the early miners' courts. These still survived after 
the organization of the county government. The newspapers are 
replete with accounts of proceedings at which Judge Lynch pre- 
sided. Lynch law during the early days, however, is not to be 
considered the same as lynch law as the term is now used. Pro- 
ceedings were conducted in an orderly manner. The accused was 
given a chance to be heard. Counsel was appointed to defend 
him and a jury empanelled. A verdict once rendered, however, 
it was carried into execution without delay. 

During the latter half of the decade which comprises the 
Fifties, however, conditions became more settled and lynch law 
became more of an evidence of mob violence. Crime during the 
latter half of the decade greatly increased. Highwaymen infested 
the roads. Bands of armed Mexicans roved about, robbing, assault- 
ing and murdering their victims. Under these conditions, the 
orderly administration of justice sometimes gave way to lynch 
law as we now understand the term. 

It is not surprising that in the early days, when the attention 
of the pioneers was largely devoted to mining, but little attention 
was paid to agriculture. In fact, until the second half of the 
decade between 1850 and 1860, reference to agriculture is so 
scanty as to be almost nil. Mr. Fowler, an early Assemblyman 
from Butte County, in an interview given to the Sacramento Union 
stated that "Butte County contains but a limited amount of good 
agricultural land, lying in the lower part of the county, chiefly 
about Plamilton." After 1855, however, agriculture began to 
receive more attention. Mining was then requiring larger capital 
and gold was less abundant. Under these circumstances it is but 
natural that men who came originally from agricultural communi- 
ties should again turn their attention to farming. 

FIRST FARMING DEVELOPMENT 

The two centers where agriculture appears to have first devel- 
oped were at Hamilton and at John Bidwell's place at Chico. As 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 23 

early as 1854 a resident of Hamilton, writing to the Butte Record, 
reported that there had been 2000 acres planted to wheat and 
barley there, besides vegetables of all kinds. A continuous fence 
for a distance of three miles also was reported. Also it was 
reported that the people had found that they could live "without 
being stuck upon the bank of the river." and that the most desir- 
able places were "some distance back, some as far as three 
miles." 

During this decade the Mother Orange Tree at Bidwell Bar, 
which gave the orange industry to Butte County, was planted. 
During this period also the foundations of the foothill irrigation 
systems were laid in great ditches then constructed for mining pur- 
poses, but later used for irrigation. 

One of the vexing questions of the early period and one 
closely associated with agriculture was that of land titles or land 
ownership. Complicating this problem was the large number of 
persons who claimed Mexican grants. Some of these grants were 
held under valid title and others were spurious. The right to 
these lands was disputed by men who settled upon them, and who 
were called squatters. The squatter disputes reached an acute 
stage in the second half of the decade, although there was not the 
violence in Butte County that marked the squatter troubles in 
some of the other counties of the State. 

INDIAN TROUBLES 

From the year 1849 up to and including the year 1866, the 
history of Butte County is replete with accounts of troubles 
between the Indians and the whites. Just where the fault lay 
cannot be fully determined. Probably both races were at fault. 
The Indians were sometimes inclined to be thievish. Some 
whites regarded Indians as little better than animals, to be shot 
down as one would a coyote. The result was murder of whites by 
the Indians and massacres of Indians by the whites. In addition 
to the trouble between the whites and the Indians there were 
occasional forays, particularly during the early period, made by 
mountain Indians upon the more peaceable Indians of the valleys. 
The whites generally aligned themselves with the valley Indians, 
thus increasing the friction between mountain tribes and the white 
settlers. 

In early days the bow and arrow was the principal, if not 
the only, weapon of the Indians. To poison the arrow points, the 
liver of a deer was secured and placed where it would be bitten 
by rattlesnakes. A wound from an arrow that had been thus 
poisoned generally caused instant death ; if not, blood poisoning 
was sure to follow. 

In the manufacture of arrow and spear points, jasper and 
flint were principally used. One source of supply from which the 



24 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

warrior tribes obtained their flint was from a cave in Table 
Mountain near Oroville. This is discussed in a bulletin issued by 
the American Museum of Natural History. We quote in part : 
"Near Oroville, one of the best known spots for getting flint was 
in a cave in or near Table Mountain. The opening to the cave 
was very small, but once in, the size was such that a man could 
stand upright. A person going to get the flint must crawl in, and 
then throw ahead of him beads or dried meat as offerings to the 
spirits for the flint he was about to take. One was allowed to take 
only as much flint as he could break off at a single blow. The 
flint obtained, the person had to crawl out backwards. If the regu- 
lations were not complied with, the person would have bad luck, 
the flint would not chip well, or would fail to kill." 

The policy of dealing with the Indian problem by the whole- 
sale removal of Indians to reservations began in the decade be- 
tween 1850 and 1860. The first reservation was west of Tehama, 
and a number of Indians were removed there as early as 1854. In 
the next decade sweeping orders for the removal of Indians were 
issued and many of them were sent to the Round Valley Reser- 
vation. 

It must not be thought that the white settlers were altogether 
without fault. So outrageous was the treatment of Indians by 
some white men that the white settlers of Oregon Gulch called 
a meeting and demanded that the county authorities protect the 
Indians, declaring that if the authorities did not give such pro- 
tection, the men at the meeting would take the law into their 
own hands. 

In 1850, it is related in Bancroft's History of California that 
some miners on the Middle Fork of the Feather River missed 
their cattle. They suspected the Indians of stealing them and 
forthwith marched to an Indian village nearby. They surrounded 
the village and poured a fusillade of shots into it. A number of 
Indians were killed. On the return of the miners they ran across 
the cattle, which had strayed into a canyon near by. 

Attacks upon Indians which led to protests by white settlers 
are frequently recorded in the newspapers of the period. 

In the early Sixties the strained relationship between the two 
races had reached the point of frequent attempts at massacres. 
Complicating the problem was the fact that there lived in Deer 
Creek Canyon in Tehama County a band of bad Indians. These 
Indians began a series of attacks upon the white settlements of 
Butte and Tehama Counties. These in turn led to reprisals upon 
all Indians, to the deportation of most of the Indians of the county 
to reservations, and to the practical annihilation of the Deer Creek 
Indians. 

A pleasing picture by way of contrast is painted by Colonel 
Royce in his recollections of General Bidwell. He writes: 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 25 



"At variance with the usual frontier white man's method of seeking 
the expulsion or the extermination of the Indian, General Bidwell substi- 
tuted kind treatment, lucrative employment, and comfortable subsistence. 
From that day to this the Indians of Rancho Chico have been a factor 
in its industrial development. They have been taught to plow, to sow, 
to reap and to mow. General Bidwell set apart for them and removed them to 
a tract of land about half a mile northwest of his house. He aided 
and encouraged them to substitute frame houses for their native earthen 
huts, and afforded them protection from the intrusion and outrage of law- 
less whites. He was their sole judge, counsellor and protector. His word 
was law. All disputes and difficulties arising from their daily routine of 
life were settled by him. After listening to both sides of the story, he 
would administer the necessary justice, inquire about their wives and 
families, and send them on their way." 

THE SLAVERY QUESTION 

During the Fifties the slavery question had been largely over- 
looked in California, .despite the fact that in the Eastern States this 
issue was attracting more and more attention and the situation 
was growing increasingly tense. The situation as far as the 
slavery issue is concerned, is well stated by D. P. Crowder, of 
Chico, in his reminiscences of early days in Butte County. He 
writes : 

"The people hereabouts all came from the States, some from those 
which were in sympathy with the Northern cause, and some from those 
which were on the opposite side of the fence. You will remember that 
in the Fifties the slavery issue was pretty general all over the country; 
but it seemed that we pioneers got away out here by ourselves and we 
had too much to do and our community interests were so large, that we 
sort of let the slavery question slide and did not take sides one way or 
another to any great extent, although we all had decided views on the 
subject one way or the other, only we kept them to ourselves. Trouble 
did not start here until the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Then 
strife and dissension immediately sprang up. Prejudice and intolerance 
immediately reared their heads; and the first thing we knew we were, 
figuratively at least, pretty much at each other's throats." 

It will come as a surprise to many people in Butte County 
to know that slavery existed in this county. Yet the first docu- 
ment in the records of the county is a deed of manumission by 
Franklin Stewart of a slave named Washington. Another instru- 
ment of the same nature appears in the records of 1857. 

THE CIVIL WAR 

The beginning of the Civil War stirred the people of Butte 
County to a depth and patriotic fervor never before realized. 

But while the sentiment of the people was overwhelmingly 
loyal, yet there were in various communities Southern sympa- 
thizers and advocates of secession, against whom the press 
fulminated with thunderous denunciation. During the first half of 
the Sixties the great Civil War dominated and overshadowed 



26 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



the life of the people of Butte County, as elsewhere in the county. 
To again quote the reminiscences of Mr. Crowder : 

"Late news from the East as to war developments was always fol- 
lowed by brawls and fights. Epithets such as 'copperhead' and 'black 
abolitionist' were thrown about. Many times firearms were brought into 
play. Two men that I know of were killed. There would have been 
many more killings had not cooler heads often intervened. Excitement ran 
at a high pitch, and there were threats and counter threats." 

When the first call for volunteers came, by pony express, 
enlistments in Butte County started. Butte County also loyally 
responded to the second and third calls for the men to fight for 
the preservation of the Union. The greater number of the enlist- 
ments here served with troops in Arizona and in Nevada. 

At home an adequate system of defense was not overlooked. 
During a certain period troops were stationed at Fort Bidwell in 
Chico. As to the reason for the troops being sent there, a wide 
difference of opinion exists. Some contend that it was because of 
anti-Union sentiment, while others declare that their presence was 
due to Indian troubles. At all events their stay in Butte County 
was uneventful. 

At Oroville, Chico and Bangor companies of home guards 
were organized. These companies were prompt to stamp out 
disloyalty. Secessionists and near-secessionists found themselves in 
trouble. The usual punishment was ''packing sand." A bag would 
be filled with sand and the prisoner would be assigned to a beat, 
back and forth, along which he had to carry the sand. In the more 
serious cases prisoners were sent to the federal prison on Alcatraz 
Island. 

The receipt of the news of Union victories resulted in imme- 
diate celebrations in Chico and Oroville. 

During the war the people of Butte County contributed liber- 
ally to the National Sanitary Fund. And in view of the fact that 
the famous Gridley sack of flour that raised enormous sums for the 
sanitary fund was ground in the Bidwell mill at Chico, the people 
of this county claimed a sort of reflected glory from the results 
that it accomplished. 

One of the results of the war was the establishment of quite 
an extensive pitch and turpentine industry in the mountains of 
Butte County. This industry disappeared, however, shortly after 
the war ended. 

THE WHEAT INDUSTRY 

The decade from 1860 to 1870 marked the transition of Butte 
County from a county whose chief industry was mining to one 
whose chief industry was agriculture. The most significant 
feature of the agricultural development of this decade was the rise 
of the great wheat industry. During the earlier years of the 
decade the acreage planted to wheat was mostly confined to a 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 27 

small area about Hamilton and Durham. But along in the 
middle years of the Sixties a group of men accustomed to farming 
the adobe lands of the San Joaquin Valley came to Butte County 
and settled upon the adobe lands here. Wheat was planted and 
despite the skepticism of the" "old timers" who considered adobe 
land of .no value except for range purposes, phenomenal crops of 
wheat were harvested. The acreage increased and Butte County 
rapidly became one of the great wheat producing counties of the 
West. In another portion of this book has been told the story of 
the potent influence of General Bidwell in developing agriculture 
and horticulture. 

THE RISE OF CHICO 

To this decade also belongs the birth of Chico as a city. The 
development of Chico came as a logical consequence of the grow- 
ing importance of the agricultural development of the county. 

General Bidwell laid off the town of Chico in 1860, the survey 
being made by J. S. Henning, then County Surveyor. Main Street 
was the first street located. Of course it was already a road, but 
such a poor one that the mud was knee deep in the winter months, 
being constantly churned up by the stages and the heavy freights. 
General Bidwell's offer to give a lot to anyone who would build 
on the Chico townsite immediately started a little building boom, 
and soon houses were springing up on every side. 

In 1864 Chico had a population of 500 people. Soon an equal 
population with Oroville was claimed, and the rivalry between 
the two communities was very keen. During this period Chico had 
stage communications with Oroville and Marysville and steamboat 
navigation along the Sacramento River. 

THE FIRST RAILROAD 

The Sixties saw the first railroad built in Butte County. The 
county by a popular vote bonded itself for $200,000, and these 
bonds were exchanged for those of the California Northern Rail- 
road, which built a railroad from Marysville to Oroville. This 
was the fourth railroad to be built in California. 

As the county became more settled more attention was given 
to the public highways. It was in this period that the Humboldt 
Road was constructed. A big mining excitement had broken out 
in the Humboldt River section of Nevada, and the road was built 
to connect Chico with that section. Later a mail contract was 
secured to serve certain mining districts in Idaho via Chico and 
the Humboldt Road. The Grizzly Bear, a magazine published 
by the Native Sons, tells of the first "mule train" over this road 
as follows: "The first saddle train from Chico to Idaho via Susan- 
ville left Chico on April 3, 1865, in command of Captain Pierce, 



28 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

an old pioneer of the mountains of the Pacific Coast. Passengers 
riding upon the hurricane deck of a mule paid a fare of $66. This 
included the use of a roll of blankets to sleep under, and the carry- 
ing of a supply of provisions. There were forty passengers on 
the first train." 

This project was backed by General Bidwell. For awhile the 
Idaho mines were supplied with mail over this route. The con- 
struction of the Central Pacific Railroad gave Idaho access to a 
nearer railroad point, and the contract was not. renewed. The 
result was the discontinuance of the service. 

A rival to the Humboldt Road to Susanville was the road 
from Oroville via Dogtown and Humbug. This road had a heavy 
traffic. In 1856 the present Oroville-Forbestown-Woodleaf road 
was completed in order that the traffic from the La Porte mines 
might be diverted from Marysville to Oroville. 

In 1862 one of the most disastrous floods in the history of the 
county occurred upon the Feather River. Oroville was com- 
pletely shut off from all supplies, and George C. Perkins, who was 
then a prominent merchant of Oroville, sent a steamer down to 
Marysville, where it was loaded with supplies and sailed back to 
Oroville. This is the last steamship trip made on the Feather 
River to Oroville. 

Mr. Perkins had been born in Maine, and had sailed as a sailor 
around Cape Horn for California. Arriving here, he carried his 
blankets and walked from Sacramento to Oroville, and began 
working as a miner in a river claim. He was not very successful 
as a miner, and engaged in the merchandising business in Oro- 
ville, at which he made a great success. He was elected to the 
State Legislature from Butte County, and later became Governor 
of the State. Later he was elected United States Senator from 
California, and served in that body for many years. 

In 1862 the people of Dogtown rebelled against the name 
and the Postoffice Department was persuaded to change the name 
of the office there to Magalia, which, it was explained, meant 
"cottages." 

PERIOD FROM 1870 TO 1880 

The decade from 1870 to 1880 was one filled with varied 
interests. Periods of great activity alternated with periods of 
great depression. 

Possibly the greatest event of the period as far as permanent 
results were concerned, was the completion of the California and 
Oregon Railroad (now the Central Pacific) through the county. 
This resulted in a new era of town building. 

In July, 1870, the completion of this road to Chico was an- 
nounced. On July 4th of that year Chico celebrated in gala style, the 
celebration being a double one in honor both of the Nation's natal 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 29 

day and the fact that Chico had secured direct railroad transporta- 
tion. There was a big parade, and laudatory and congratulatory 
speeches were delivered. Three thousand people partook of the 
barbecue that was served. 

Following the inauguration of service upon the new railroad, 
new towns and settlements arose along its route. Chief among 
these was Biggs, which for a number of years was the third place 
in point of population in Butte County. The previous decade 
had demonstrated that large crops of wheat could be grown on the 
adobe lands of that section. A shipping point for the grain was 
needed. The most convenient point was the station to which 
the name of Biggs was given in honor of Hon. Marion Biggs, Sr. 
Major Biggs, as he was then known, shipped the first grain from 
the station, and did a great deal to build up the town. 

Gridley also owes its origin to this period. The town was 
named after George W. Gridley, upon whose land the station and 
the town were located. Gridley was one of the picturesque char- 
acters of the early period. He had been an auctioneer in the Fif- 
ties in the horse markets of Marysville and Sacramento and had 
amassed considerable wealth. He came to Butte County and pur- 
chased a large portion of the Neal Ranch. 

In 1870 Nord (north) was laid out by C. W. Colby. In the 
following year the townsite of Cana was surveyed. 

Durham, named after W. W. Durham, also belongs to this 
period. This station was opened in 1870. 

Nelson was surveyed as a town by the California and Oregon 
Railroad in 1873. The townsite was on railroad land. The place 
was named after Captain A. D. Nelson. 

A MINING BOOM 

The development of agriculture had been one of the most 
notable features of the Sixties. In the Seventies the industrial 
pendulum swung back to mining. Cherokee, and the Lava Beds 
of Oroville, particularly were the scene of a tremendous mining 
activity during this decade. 

The Spring Valley Mine, which was destined to become one of 
the most famous hydraulic mines in the world, was located upon 
the north end of Table Mountain. During its early history the 
mining area was worked by individual locators who held, according 
to the mining laws of the district, one hundred feet square for 
each locator. The gold was recovered by means of rockers, long 
toms and sluices, as these methods succeeded each other. After 
1858 the work was exclusively done by the hydraulic method. 

Up to the year 1870 the supply of water to carry on hydraulic 
mining was obtained from the drainage of about ten square miles 
of territory. At that time a number of capitalists associated them- 
selves in building reservoirs, constructing ditches, and laying iron 



30 THE STORY OP BUTTE COUNTY 

pipe above the canyon of the West Branch. The pipe was thirty 
inches in diameter and 13,100 feet in length. Most engineers con- 
sidered the feat impossible and advised capitalists not to invest. 
But the pipe was successfully laid and the mining activity 
increased, demanding more reservoirs, more ditches, and more 
pipe. _ 

In some parts of this mine the banks had a perpendicular 
height of 450 feet. From 1870 to 1886 over $5,000,000 in gold was 
obtained from this mine. It is estimated that a like amount was 
obtained from the operations there prior to 1870. 

As the operations at the mine increased, trouble developed 
over the huge volume of slickens or debris that was washed down 
upon the valley lands. Farmers in the valley found that their 
lands were being covered with this mining debris. Other mines 
were rilling rivers and streams with slickens. And so many meet- 
ing were held to protest against hydraulic mining and many suits 
started against the miners. The Spring Valley Mining Company 
bought many of the ranches that were being covered with tailings 
and averted trouble in this manner. Finally it was decided to 
construct what became known as and is yet known as the Chero- 
kee Canal, to carry the tailings into Butte Creek and thence to the 
tules of Sutter County. 

LAVA BEDS EXCITEMENT 

In 1873 the operations of the Chinese miners upon the so- 
called Lava Beds at Oroville began to attract widespread atten- 
tion. This name was apparently given the district by reason of the 
fact that the first mining claims located there were known as the 
Modoc claims. The lava beds of Modoc County resulted in the 
nickname "the lava beds of Oroville." For some time the Chinese 
population of Oroville had been increasing, and the mining opera- 
tions at the Lava Beds were each year assuming larger import- 
ance. As early as 1872 the Chinese settlement in Oroville was 
declared to be the largest Chinese mining camp in California. In 
1874 the Lava Beds excitement was at its height. Special trains 
brought the Chinese into Oroville. They would be met by police 
officials, marched to the Courthouse square, their poll tax col- 
lected, and then they would be released to go whither they pleased 
or where their contracts called. It is stated that in that year 
there were fully ten thousand Chinese in Oroville. Before the 
end of the decade the district had been pretty well worked out, 
and in 1878 the Chinese population had decreased to about two 
thousand. 

CHINESE TROUBLES 

In 1877 serious Chinese troubles started in the county which 
finally culminated in the murder of six Chinamen in a cabin on 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 31 

Chico Creek about two and one-half miles from Chico. There 
existed in Chico at that time a branch of the Order of Caucasians. 
This was a state-wide order, which proposed to force the Chinese 
out of California. The order attempted to force the employers to desist 
from employing Chinese, and notices were sent to many people in 
Chico to discharge their Chinese house servants. To oppose the Or- 
der of Caucasians, the citizens of Chico organized what was known 
as the Committee of One Hundred. The murderers of the Chinese 
were arrested and convicted. They were found to be members of 
the Order of Caucasians. 

LUMBERING INDUSTRY 

During 1870 the lumbering industry of Butte County devel- 
oped into large proportions. During the last five years of this 
decade mammoth V-flumes extending for miles from the forests 
into the valley, where mills were located, were built. 

The largest of these flumes was that of the Sierra Lumber 
Company, which operated large mills in Chico. The flume was 
completed in 1876, and extended from Butte Meadows to Chico, 
a distance of forty miles. 

In December of the same year a flume was completed from a 
point near Dogtown to a point near Pence, which became known 
as Dumpville. 

The town of Honcut owes its growth to the development of 
the lumbering industry during this decade. Previously the place 
had been called Moore's Station. In 1879 a great flume was com- 
pleted from Woodleaf to Honcut, the nearest railroad point, where 
large mills had been built and where a prosperous community 
arose. 

The growth of agriculture and the construction of the Cali- 
fornia and Oregon Railroad, now the Central Pacific, as far as Chico, 
resulted in 1870 in an attempt to incorporate Chico. This first 
attempt was defeated, but in 1872 the attempt was renewed and 
on that occasion it was successful. 

A brief review of the census figures will be of interest. In 
1860 the population of the county was 12,106. In 1870 it had de- 
creased to 11,403. In 1880 it had increased to 18,721. 

The importance of highways was clearly realized by the busi- 
ness men of the period, and there was much attention given to the 
improvement of existing roads and the location of new roads that 
would attract business. During the latter half of the decade Oro- 
ville did a tremendous freight business with the mountain terri- 
tory. Its streets were lined with big freighting outfits. Goods 
were purchased from the merchants of Oroville for points as far 
north as southeastern Oregon. One reason assigned for the con- 
centration of mountain trade in Oroville was the liberal subscrip- 
tion of the merchants of Oroville to maintain mountain roads lead- 
ing into the city. 



32 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

The merchants of Chico also were active in the matter of road 
improvement and did a large freighting and mercantile business 
with the mountain settlements. 

BUTTE IN THE EIGHTIES 

The period from 1880 to 1890 was one of transition, rather 
than of progress. The census of 1880 gave the population of the 
county as 18,721. That of 1890 revealed its population to be 
17,939. This decrease in population is probably to be accounted 
for by the fact that during the early years of the decade hydraulic 
mining was largely stopped and intensive agriculture was only 
well started. Neither mining nor agriculture was as profitable as 
it had been. 

Except for the ominous clouds that had been gathering against 
hydraulicking as the Seventies came to their close, the decade 
started in a most auspicious manner for the mining industry. In 
1879 there arrived in Oroville a man of spectacular instincts and 
splendid ability, Major Frank McLaughlin. For twenty years he 
played a large part in the history of Butte County, and in fact 
in the history of the State. Major McLaughlin was first sent to 
Butte County by Thomas A. Edison. His mission was to hunt for 
platinum, which Edison needed for his new electric light. 

Major McLaughlin became immediately interested in mining 
propositions in Butte County and succeeded in interesting some 
of the wealthiest men in the United States in Butte County min- 
ing ventures. He effected a consolidation of all of the mining 
ventures operating at Cherokee. It was through his efforts that 
the Big Bend tunnel, which now supplies water to the Las Plumas 
power plant of the Great Western Power Company, was built. 
It was built to drain the river so that its bed might be mined, 
but the venture was not successful. English capital was heavily 
interested in Butte County properties, and a number of properties 
on the Magalia Ridge were opened under the direction and man- 
agement of Major McLaughlin. 

In 1888 and 1889 Major McLaughlin interested English capital 
in a project of mining the bed of the Feather River just above 
Oroville. It was at this time that the long rock wall in the center 
of the river was constructed. This Avail yet remains. The plan 
was to confine the river in a small area near the bank, and to mine 
the river bed. During the early Nineties mining operations were 
conducted there, but the recovery of gold was not sufficient to 
justify the expense. 

While the mine at Cherokee by reason of the manner in which 
it took care of its tailings was able to operate as long as oper- 
ations were profitable, many other hydraulic mines in Butte 
County were closed in the first years of the decade because of 
the fact that the slickens from the mines were filling the Feather 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 33 

River and other streams, thus raising the water level and making 
the danger of floods more imminent. The most important centers 
of hydraulicking were about Oroville and Cherokee. 

NEW INDUSTRIES START 

The prosperity of Oroville was decreased by the enforced 
cessation of mining, and the business men were forced to look 
elsewhere for industries that would take its place. In this manner 
the orange and olive industries in Butte County were started. At 
this time the Thermalito and Palermo Colonies were established. 
The first commercial orange grove was planted in Thermalito by 
the Oroville Citrus Association, made up of Oroville business 
men. The first olive grove was planted by the late Superior Judge 
John C. Gray, and was the well known Mt. Ida grove at 
Wyandotte. 

Another effect of the cessation of hydraulic mining was to 
drive miners back into the hills and drift or gravel mining received 
renewed attention. This was particularly true along the Magalia 
Ridge. Many of the old camps that had been deserted since the 
Fifties became active again. Phenomenal yields are recorded in 
the mines near Magalia during this period. 

A PRESIDENTIAL VISIT 

On September 23, 1880, President Hayes, who was then tour- 
ing California, and his party visited Chico at the invitation of Gen- 
eral Bidwell. The occasion was a gala one for Butte County. 
The residences of Chico were gaily decorated, and elaborate prepa- 
rations had been made for the entertainment of the party at 
Bidwell mansion by General and Mrs. Bidwell. The party included 
President and Mrs. Hayes, General Sherman, and a number of 
other notables. There was a parade, addresses of welcome, 
responses by President Hayes and General Sherman, and an elabo- 
rate reception in the evening at the Bidwell mansion. The fol- 
lowing day the party visited the Spring Valley Mine at Cherokee. 
President and Mrs. Hayes were taken over the property, and Mrs. 
Hayes was presented with a handful of amalgam from the riffles, 
estimated to contain about $200 in gold. General Sherman amused 
himself with playing a monitor against a face of the cliff. The 
day was greatly enjoyed. 

The alleged procrastination of Congress in dealing with mat- 
ters of Chinese exclusion resulted in a revival of agitation against 
the Chinese in the county. In 1886 the protest became very 
widespread. It started in Chico and spread to other parts of the 
county. The Chico Anti-Chinese Association was formed and all 
persons employing Chinese labor were ordered boycotted. This 
agitation, however, was free from violence. 



34 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

In 1882 Professor H. G. Hanks, of the State Mining Bureau, 
made an investigation of the discovery of diamonds in Butte 
County. He verified the reports of the discovery of diamonds. In 
all, about 300 diamonds have been found in Cherokee. 

CHICO STATE NORMAL SCHOOL 

The establishment of the Chico State Normal School marks an 
epoch in educational matters in Northern California. The estab- 
lishment of this school was assured by a bill passed in the State 
Legislature in 1887, providing for the establishment of a normal 
school in Northern California. There was a keen rivalry for the 
school. To secure the school it was necessary that a site be 
offered. General Bidwell was in the East, but immediately tele- 
graphed back offering as a site any place on the Rancho Chico 
"except my dooryard." Chico won the decision. When the tele- 
gram was received announcing that Chico had won the school, 
whistles were blown, bells rung, and there was a general jollifi- 
cation. In September, 1889, the school was formally opened. 

, In 1888 the people of North Point desired a postoffice.* The 
Postoffice Department refused to accept that name and accordingly 
"Cohasset," which means in the Indian dialect 'a grove of pines," 
was selected as the name. 

FROM 1890 TO 1900 

Just as the decade from 1880 to 1890 had seen a slight de- 
crease in population, so the census of 1900 showed a smaller popu- 
lation in the county than that of 1890. In the neighborhood of 
Oroville an increase in population was shown owing to the devel- 
opment of the citrus and olive industries. The total figures for 
the county, however, were disappointing, showing a population 
of 17,117 against a population of 17,839 in 1900. 

The decade, like that of the Eighties, should probably be 
considered as one of change and preparation. The fruit industry 
was increasing in importance; irrigation projects on a large scale 
were being discussed; a start was made in the development of 
the hydro-electric resources of the county. It was also in the early 
years of this decade that E. J. Yard, chief engineer for the Denver 
and Rio Grande Railroad, made a trip through the Feather River 
Canyon and determined that if the Denver and Rio Grande Rail- 
road ever extended to the Pacific Coast, it would be through the 
Feather River Canyon. The next decade this trip bore fruit in 
the construction of the Western Pacific Railroad, which gave 
to Butte County another transcontinental railroad system. The 
last two years of the decade also saw the beginning of the gold 
dredging that during the early years of the new century assumed 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 35 

such mammoth proportions about Oroville that it brought min- 
ing engineers and mining men from all parts of the world to Butte 
County to study and acquaint themselves with the new method of 
gold mining. Thus while the decade, considered only from the 
point of view of census figures, was one of retrogression, in reality 
the forces were gathering for the wonderful industrial expansion 
that was ushered in by the new century. 

The Thermalito and Palermo Colonies had started irrigation 
upon a large scale in Butte County. During the Nineties the 
subject of irrigation received constantly increasing attention. It 
is true that almost every project undertaken was a failure. But 
they prepared the way for later and more successful irrigation 
systems. They had the further effect of educating the mind of the 
people of the county to the fact that the agricultural development 
of the county was largely bound up in irrigation. 

IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT 

During the last two years of the Eighties, Thomas Fleming, 
who lived at Biggs, had conceived the plan of irrigating the Grid- 
ley and Biggs section by diverting water from the Feather River 
at a point on the west bank of the Feather River below Oroville. 
He organized a company and arranged for a water appropriation, 
and in 1891 the surveys for this system were under way. Fleming 
was a man of large vision, but had not had experience in financing- 
projects of the size contemplated for the irrigation system. He 
made but little progress in interesting capital and no progress in 
construction. He did, however, do a vast work in interviewing 
landowners, educating them in the value of irrigation, and con- 
vincing some of them at least that irrigation from the Feather 
River was both practicable and feasible. 

The development of the olive industry about Oroville had 
assumed sufficiently large proportions to justify the erection of 
olive oil mills. In 1900 at the exposition in Paris, Butte County 
in an international competition was awarded the grand prize for 
the finest olive oil displayed there. This olive oil was made and 
exhibited by the Ekman-Stow Company. 

By elaborately staged citrus fairs given during the latter years 
of the Eighties and early in the Nineties attention was attracted 
to the citrus industry of Northern California. The increased acre- 
age in fruit was reflected in the construction of canneries to take 
care of the fruit output of the various orchards. In the previous 
decade a cannery had been built at Chico. In 1896 a cannery was 
opened in Gridley, and another, cannery was started the same year 
in Biggs. 



36 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 



THE OLIVE INDUSTRY 

It was during the last year of this decade that Mrs. Freda 
Ehmann and her son, E. W. Ehmann, established in Oroville a 
plant for processing ripe olives. Experimenting upon the back 
porch of her home in Oakland with two half barrels, Mrs. Ehmann 
had solved the problem of processing the ripe olive so that it was 
attractive to buyers. The industr} r expanded quickly and has not 
only made Mrs. Freda Ehmann one of the famous women of 
America, but Butte County has shared largely in the prosperity 
that this industry has occasioned. Previous to the time that the 
Ehmann plant was built, all the olives grown in Butte County 
were used in the manufacture of oil. The establishment of the ripe 
olive as a commercial product opened up a new and profitable 
avenue for the sale of olives and resulted in a large increase in the 
acreage planted to olives. The story of the establishment of the ripe 
olive industry by Mrs. Ehmann shows how large oaks from little 
acorns grow, and teaches that opportunity to accomplish big things 
is often closer to us than we realize. 

GOLD DREDGING 

Another huge industry that developed in Butte County be- 
ginning in this period was that of gold dredging. Mr. W. P. Ham- 
mon was a nurseryman living on the Feather River east of Biggs. 
One day, as a well was being dug upon his place, he noted there 
were flecks of gold in the dirt. The idea occurred to him that if 
machinery could be devised to handle enough of the dirt at a low 
enough cost, a fortune could be made. Previous to this time dredge 
mining had been started in a very small and limited way in New 
Zealand, but the industry had assumed no importance. Mr. Ham- 
mon interested other men in his idea and a gold dredger was built. 
The dredger was successful from the first and the industry largely 
developed about Oroville. The success in the Oroville field resulted 
in other areas of mining ground being developed, and soon the in- 
dustry had spread from Butte County about the world. For 
years gold dredging poured millions in gold into the treasure box 
of the Nation. 

Forbestown, which during the Fifties had been one of the big 
mining camps of the State, again came into prominence in the 
Nineties, when large quartz mines were opened there. 

AN ERA OF EXPANSION 

The period from 1900 up through 1918 was one marked by a 
tremendous industrial development in Butte County. Great enter- 
prises involving enormous investments of capital were launched, 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 37 

and every part of the county felt the stimulus of the forward move- 
ment. Butte County leaped into prominence as one of the richest 
counties of the State, and the diversity of its resources attracted 
widespread attention and interest. While dredge mining grew to enor- 
mous proportions during this period, yet as a whole the new enter- 
prises established were of a more permanent nature than mining. 
Irrigation had unlocked a treasure far exceeding in value the 
untold millions that the golden gravels of Butte County had given 
to the world. As a consequence the twentieth century witnessed 
an unprecedented agricultural development. 

During the early years of the century the dream that had been 
dreamed almost since the days of the white occupation of the 
county became a reality and a great railroad system was built 
down the .Feather River Canyon. This brought to the rich valley 
lands a new method of getting their products to the Eastern 
market. 

The period was one of tremendous lumbering activity. The 
Diamond Match Company established its mammoth plant at Chico 
and Stirling City. And the construction of lumber mills along the 
Feather River followed the construction of the railroad. 

The period was also one of great power development. The 
Big Bend Tunnel — a failure as a mining enterprise — became a suc- 
cess as a power project, and through the construction of the Las 
Plumas plant of the Great Western Power Company and smaller 
plants elsewhere in the county Butte County became one of the 
leading counties of the Nation in the production of hydro-electric 
power. 

The era can be called one of expanding interests. Indeed 
the whole life of the county was reanimated. Its cities were 
transformed. The spirit of progress with which the very air was 
charged speeded up civic improvements. In less than two decades 
the people saw the county advance to a place of power, prestige 
and influence among the counties of the State. 

It may be well to briefly state some of the factors that 
resulted in this great growth, for often we overlook the import- 
ance of the things that are near at hand and we become so accus- 
tomed to them that we fail to realize their importance. 

The period was one of great railroad construction. We have 
already spoken of the construction of the Western Pacific and its 
importance. In the first decade of the new century the Northern 
Electric, which is now known as the Sacramento Northern Rail- 
road, was built, first from Chico to Oroville and later to Marys- 
ville and Sacramento. The Butte County Railroad was built up the 
Magalia Ridge to bring lumber from the Stirling City plant of 
the Diamond Match Company to its Chico plant. The Butte and 
Plumas Railroad was built to Berry Creek to bring lumber to the 
sawmill at Oroville. The latter was merely a logging railroad, 



38 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

but the others carried freight and passengers, and with the Cen- 
tral and Southern Pacific Companies' railroads gave to this county 
as good transportation facilities as could be found in the State. 
Roads, whether railroads or highways, are of tremendous import- 
ance in the development of a country. They enable the farmer 
and manufacturer to move their products easily and cheaply. 
They bring travelers into the country they serve and thus acquaint 
people with it and its resources and create an interest in the 
country. So that the development of the railroad systems in Butte 
County was an event of the greatest importance. 

When the Diamond Match Company established its large 
plant in Chico, one of the largest in the State, a huge payroll was 
given to Chico which promoted the business prosperity of the 
city. The subdivision of the Bidwell lands resulted in many 
people coming there to farm and grow fruit upon the rich soil 
of that district. 

Irrigation also developed on a large scale. The Butte County 
Canal system (now the Sutter-Butte Canal) which had been 
dreamed of by Thomas Fleming, became an actuality under the 
direction and the management of Duncan C. McCallum, of Oro- 
ville. Later the Western Canal was projected by Mr. McCallum, 
S. J. Norris and Carleton Gray, all of Oroville, and it was later 
constructed by the Great Western Power Company. The Forbes- 
town Ditch System was rehabilitated by T. F. Hornung. An irri- 
gation district was organized at Paradise and a fine irrigation 
system built there. 

The Western Canal and the Sutter-Butte Canal made possible 
the development of a mammoth rice industry. The construction 
of the latter named canal resulted in a great increase in the popu- 
lation in and about Gridley. 

Millions of dollars was spent in the development of hydro- 
electric power. 

THE U. S. PLANT GARDEN 

In 1904 the United States Plant Introduction Gardens were 
located in Butte County, a short distance from Chico. This was 
an event of national importance. The purpose of the gardens was 
to secure land where the United States Department of Agriculture 
might test trees and plants sent in from other countries, to deter- 
mine whether they could be grown in the United States and 
whether their growth would be desirable and profitable. Many 
localities sought to have the gardens located in their midst. But 
after a nation-wide investigation to determine the best site, Butte 
County was chosen. 

These gardens have been the scene of some most important 
experiments. Plants and seeds from every part of the world have 
been assembled there and their adaptability to the United States 



THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 39 



tested by being planted and grown there. The United States is 
richer by many new plants and trees because of this institution. 
It is interesting to note how the Plant Gardens secure these 
plants. The United States Department of Agriculture employs 
men who are known as "agricultural explorers," who travel over 
the world studying the trees and plants of other countries. When 
they find a tree or plant that gives promise of being valuable it is 
sent to the United States Plant Gardens and there planted and 
thus its adaptability to the United States shown. 

The period had been one of great diversification of crops. 
With the coming of irrigation, the growth of alfalfa and dairying 
became important industries in the county. Durham became one 
of the principal almond producing sections of the State. The rice 
acreage grew to enormous proportions. Thousands of acres were 
planted to fruit. So important did the rice industry become that 
the United States Department of Agriculture established a rice 
experiment station between Biggs and Richvale to assist in the 
development of this industry. 

Butte County was also given signal recognition when in 1917 
the State of California selected Durham as the site of the first 
State Colony. Durham was selected after the consideration of 
many communities throughout the State. 

In order to more effectively carry on public improvements 
the larger communities in the county incorporated. Chico had 
incorporated in 1873. In 1903 Biggs incorporated. Gridley fol- 
lowed in 1905, and Oroville in 1906. During the last two years of 
the period under discussion, Chico enlarged its boundaries by 
annexing its thickly settled outlying suburbs. 

THUS BUTTE COUNTY GREW 

This is the story of the growth of Butte County as you know 
it today. You will realize possibly more than you did before the 
years of effort and thought, the huge expenditures and the vast 
energy that have gone into the building of the county, and of 
which you are the beneficiaries. 

The story is that of the growth of American institutions and of 
an American community. And of all the rich legacies that those 
who have built up this commonwealth have left us the best is a 
reverence for free institutions. The greatest honor that has ever 
come to Butte County is that when this Nation entered into the 
great world war its people responded most magnificently to the 
call for sacrifice and service that the war brought with it. To 
the glory of the young manhood of Butte County, be it ever 
remembered that Butte County was one of the three counties of 
the State and the only large county in which so many young men 
volunteered for service that when the first draft was made Butte 
County was declared exempt from its provisions. 



40 THE STORY OF BUTTE COUNTY 

The boys and girls of today of Butte County will be the men 
and women of tomorrow. You are the beneficiaries of the strug- 
gles and the sacrifices, of the thought and the efforts of thousands 
of men and women who have gone before you. In a few years you 
must take up the burden of the well-being of the county. Be 
inspired by the glorious history of your county, by the record of 
its mighty accomplishments, by the unselfish service of noble 
men and women, to dream mighty dreams and to accomplish 
mighty things in the future. The greatest thing in life is service. 
To serve in some form or other, and to make the world a little 
better because we have lived in it, is the opportunity that comes 
to all. To most of you this opportunity will come in your home 
and in your county. Carry on the great work that others have 
handed to you. 



GENERAL BIDWELL 

PIONEER AND BUILDER 



John Bidwell- was born in Chautauqua County, New York, 
in 1819. When he was but a lad, his parents moved to Darke 
County, Ohio, then almost a wilderness. As a child he was a 
pioneer and it was as a pioneer that he spent the greater part of 
his life. 

As a boy John Bidwell began to manifest the marvellous 
determination which became possibly his leading character. For 
instance, he walked three hundred miles to the Ashtabula iVcad- 
emy,. where he took a scientic course, which included civil 
engineering. Returning to his home, he felt the ambition to enter 
a wider field. He started on foot to Cincinnati, ninety miles distant. 
His outfit consisted of $75 in money, the clothes he wore and a few 
others, strapped to a knapsack strapped on his shoulders. From 
Cincinnati he went down the Ohio River by steamboat to the 
Mississippi, up the Mississippi to St. Louis, and from St. Louis to 
Burlington, Iowa. Here he met Governor Robert Lucas of Ohio, 
who advised him to go into the interior and take up a tract of 
land. 

So young Bidwell next found himself in Platte County, Mis- 
souri. On his arrival there his money was spent and he secured 
employment teaching school. In the fall he located and obtained 
partly by purchase a tract of 160 acres. The following summer, 
1840, the weather was too hot to do much work on the place dur- 
ing the vacation. Accordingly he went to St. Louis to obtain 
needed supplies of books, clothing and so forth. The trip was 
nearly 600 miles by water and took nearly a month, going and 
returning. This is what General Bidwell says of the trip : 

"The trip proved to be a turning point in my life, for while I was 
gone a man jumped my land. Generally in such cases public sentiment 
was against the jumper, and it was decidedly so in my case. But the 
scoundrel held on. He was a bully, had killed a man in another county, 
and everybody seemed to be afraid of him. Influential friends of mine 
tried to persuade him to let me have eighty acres, half of the claim, but 
he was stubborn, and said that all that he wanted was just what the law 
allowed him. Unfortunately for me he had the legal advantage." 

The General forfeited all of the work that he had done, the 
money that he had spent upon the place, pulled up his stakes, and 
resolved to go elsewhere when the spring opened. 

FIRST NEWS OF CALIFORNIA 

In the meantime Bidwell had become acquainted with a 
French trader, Roubideaux, who had traded from Mexico up the 



ii GENERAL BIDWELL, PIONEER AND BUILDER 

Pacific Coast into what is now California. Roubideaux gave such 
glowing accounts of the country, its boundless fertility, its glori- 
ous climate, that the ardor of young Bidwell was set aflame, and 
he at once determined to visit the wonderful land and see it for 
himself. A meeting was called and Roubideaux delivered a lecture. 
He laid stress upon the soil, the climate, the countless thousands 
of wild horses and cattle roaming the plains, and the numberless 
other wonders of the land. Great enthusiasm was aroused among 
his auditors. An organization was formed, called the Western 
Emigration Society. In a month about five hundred names were 
signed, each signer pledging himself to purchase a suitable outfit and 
to assemble at Sapling Grove, Kansas, on the next following ninth 
of May. Later, however, a letter published in a New York news- 
paper by a man who had a disastrous experience at Monterey, 
cast a damper upon the enthusiasm of many of the persons who 
had signed to make the trip to California. 

The party, however, was organized, and left for California. 

Later this party was joined by a number of missionaries 
en route to the Flathead Indian nation. This was the first over- 
land emigration party that ever crossed the Rocky and Sierra 
Nevada Mountains. The date of departure upon the long trek was 
May, 1841. 

Their experiences in the sun-parched deserts and among the 
snow-clad mountains, the hardships that they endured, constitute 
a glorious chapter in the great story of the winning of America's 
West. After six weary, heart-breaking months of trouble, on 
November 4, 1841, the party reached the "promised land." At 
the ranch of Dr. March, located 100 miles south of what is now 
Sacramento, they learned that at last they were in California. 

Having arrived in California, the first thing that young 
Bidwell did was to seek employment. He learned that a man 
named Sutter had established a settlement about 100 miles farther 
north. He at once proceeded there. This was General Sutter, 
whose fame will continue to shine more brightly as long as the 
early history of California is written. The settlement that he had 
founded is now the city of Sacramento. Early in 1841 he had 
purchased from the Russian-American Fur Company at Bodega 
and Fort Ross all of the property they were unable to move when 
they abandoned the country. On Bidwell's arrival General Sutter 
engaged him to go to Bodega to take charge of the transfer of 
property from that place. Bidwell was engaged in this work until 
March, 1843. The houses were demolished and the lumber ship- 
ped to Sacramento, as were also the livestock, plows, household 
furniture, utensils, muskets and cannon. 

On his return to Sutter's Fort, Bidwell picketed his horses 
and crossed the river in a canoe. During his absence his horses 
were stolen by a party bound for Oregon. Procuring other horses, 
Bidwell, accompanied by the noted pioneer, Peter Lassen, who was 



GENERAL BIDWELL, PIONEER AND BUILDER iii 

anxious to locate a good ranch, pursued the party up the Sacra- 
mento Valley to the present site of Red Bluff, where the stolen 
horses were recovered. On this trip he named all of the streams that 
flow into the Sacramento from the east between Butte Creek and 
Red Bluff. He also made a map of the valley from his observa- 
tions, which served as the actual map of the country until the 
actual surveys were made in later years. Thus two years before 
Fremont's first explorations, Bidwell explored the primeval wilder- 
ness of Northern California at a time when there was not a white 
man north of Sacramento. 

In order to obtain a land grant in those days one had to 
become a citizen of Mexico, to which country California then 
belonged. In 1844 Bidwell and General Sutter went to Monterey, 
and while there Bidwell was granted Mexican citizenship. Also 
he was given a ranch, known as Ulpinos, now in Solano County. 
On this site he attempted to found a town, but the venture was 
unsuccessful. While on the trip to Monterey Bidwell and Sutter 
learned of a contemplated revolution, and informed Governor 
Micheltorena of the fact. The insurrection developed. General 
Sutter and Bidwell, with a party of Americans and Indians, joined 
the Governor's cause and pursued the insurrectionists to a point 
near the present city of Los Angeles, where a battle was fought. 
In this battle the insurrectionists were victorious. Governor 
Micheltorena, Sutter and Bidwell were taken prisoners, but the 
two latter were soon released, and returned to Sutter's Fort. 
In March, 1845, General Bidwell received a grant of land in what 
is now Colusa County, but he sold his grant. 

Upon receipt of the news of the Bear Flag episode, Bidwell 
led a reconnaissance in the direction of Castro's supposed move- 
ments, and a few days later proceeded to Sonoma, where he was 
made a member of a committee to draft a plan of organization. 
There he prepared a paper for signatures, to the effect that "The 
undersigned hereby agree to organize and to remain in service 
as long as necessary for the purpose of gaining and maintaining 
the independence of California." This was on July 4, 1846, and on 
the 11th of the same month Bidwell was present at the raising 
of the American flag over Sutter's Fort. From this time until the 
close of the war with Mexico he was in active service. He was 
successively appointed lieutenant, captain, quartermaster with 
rank of major. 

EARLY ACTIVITIES 

At the close of the war young Bidwell was engaged in numerous 
activities. He took the first census of that portion of the Sacra- 
mento Valley north of the Buttes, showing the white population 
to be 82 and the estimated Indian population to be 19,500. He 
drew up the contract between Sutter and Marshall for the erection 
of the sawmill where Marshall afterwards made his discovery 
of gold. He was engaged also in surveying numerous land grants 



iv GENERAL BIDWELL, PIONEER AND BUILDER 

in the valley. He established a home for himself on Little Butte 
Creek, building a log house and planting vines and trees. 

In 1848 Bidwell carried the first authentic news of Marshall's 
gold discovery to San Francisco. During the same year he dis- 
covered gold on the Feather River at Bidwell Bar. He was 
engaged for two years in mining. He purchased the property 
known as Rancho Chico, originally belonging to William Dickey, 
and erected a log house there in the summer of 1849. 

The years following were full of excitement. He was a mem- 
ber of a constitutional convention, and represented the Sacra- 
mento district, which then comprised all the State north of Sacra- 
mento, in the first Senate. He was on the committee on county 
names, and named many of the counties not having Indian names. 
He was one of the commissioners appointed by Governor Burnett 
in 1850 to bear to the national capital the block of gold-bearing 
quartz, California's tribute to mark her interest in the fame and 
glory of the "Father of His Country." 

It was during this trip to Washington that the question of 
the admission of California as a state was pending before Con- 
gress. To admit California as a state would destroy the equili- 
brium of free and slave territory, and the measure was violently 
opposed, especially by the slave States. 

One day in an interview with a Mrs. Crosby, Bidwell 
expressed his discouragement at the outlook, and stated that he 
believed that if the influence and support of Senator Seward could 
be secured, California would be admitted to the Union as a state. 
Mrs. Crosby was intimately acquainted with Senator Seward. She 
arranged a dinner to which Bidwell and Seward were both invited. 
So forcibly did Bidwell present to Senator Seward's attention at 
this dinner California's claim for statehood that Senator Seward 
not only voted for the admission of California into the Union, 
but addressed the Senate on behalf of this State. 

During the decade that followed Bidwell's return from Wash- 
ington, he was extremely busy in developing his great landed 
estate. In 1852 he built a two-story adobe house, which served as 
a residence and a house of entertainment for travelers along the 
Oregon Road. 

In 1863 Bidwell was appointed Brigadier-General of the Cali- 
fornia Militia, and his alertness there was generally credited with 
being one of the factors that resulted in California remaining loyal 
to the Union. He was later elected to Congress, and in 1890 
became the candidate of the Prohibition Party for President of 
the United States. 

FIRST PLANTINGS 

From the beginning of his ownership of his ranch, General 
Bidwell planted trees and vines. These plantings were increased from 
year to year until, at the time of his death, he had over 1800 



GENERAL BIDWELL, PIONEER AND BUILDER 



acres in fruit. Every species and every variety of fruit or vege- 
table that had the possibility of coming to perfection in either a 
temperate or semi-tropic climate was tested and the results care- 
fully noted. An experimental orchard near his home contained 
at least one specimen tree of over four hundred different varie- 
ties of- fruit. With his first year's ranching he began the cultiva- 
tion of wheat and other grains. He tested the adaptability of 
almost every kind and variety of grain, and freely gave to the 
public the benefit of his experience. Gold medals were awarded 
to him at both the Paris and the New ( )rleans expositions for his 
incomparable display of grains. 

He erected and operated the first water power grist mill in 
this section of the State. The following incident is related in 
1877 in one of the local papers : 

"At a quarter to 5 o'clock, the usual time for the hands to begin 
work, the hands were in the field two and a half miles from the grist mill; 
at five minutes to 5 o'clock the first header wagon brought a load of 
wheat to the threshing machine and was put through and sacked. The 
first two sacks were put into a buggy and carried to the mill, where it 
was put through the cleaning process and ground into flour. At half-past 
six o'clock we received a portion of the flour, and at a quarter before 
seven we sat down to our breakfast and were served with hot biscuits 
made from that flour." 

It was from the Bidwell mill that the celebrated bag of "sani- 
tary flour" came which, during the Civil War. was sold and resold 
at Austin and various other cities in the United States, and which 
eventually produced, after being taken to the great sanitary fund 
fair at St. Louis, a fund of about one million dollars for the 
United States Sanitary Commission, which in the Civil War did 
the work which the Red Cross now does. 

A profound interest in and concern for schools and churches 
marked General Bidwell's whole career. The memory of the 
difficulties and hardships that beset his path when he attempted 
to secure an education made him a sincere friend and patron of 
the public school system. General Bidwell gave the site for the 
Chico State Normal School. He also gave to the University of 
California a tract for a forestry school. To the city of Chico he 
gave the magnificent park that now bears his name. 

General Bidwell died on April 4, 1900. At his death the whole 
Nation paid tribute to the great service that he had performed. 



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